.uihuWrnFi'iacMf 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE 
REDISCOVERED 
COUNTRY 


OTHER   BOOKS 

BY   THE    SAME  AUTHOR 

The  Adventures  of  Bobby  Orde 

African  Camp  Fires 

Arizona  Nights 

The  Blazed  Trail 

Blazed  Trail  Stories 

The  Cabin 

Camp  and  Trail 

The  Claim  Jumpers 

Conjuror's  House 

The  Forest 

Gold 

The  Land  of  Footprints 

The  Magic  Forest 

The  Mountains 

The  Mystery      (With  Samuel  H.  Adams) 

The  Pass 

The  RivER-AfAN 

The  Rules  cf  the  Game 

The  Silent  Places 

The  Westerners 

ex  \r<5*^^ 


THE    BIGGEST    OF    THE    FOUR    LIONS 
SEE   PAGE    l8.^ 


THE 

REDISCOVERED 

COUNTRY 

BY 

STEWART  EDWARD  WHITE,  f.  r.  g.  s. 


ILLUSTRATED 

FROM 
PHOTOGRAPHS 


GARDEN  CITY  NEW  YORK 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 
1915 


Copyright,  iQiSr  by 

DOUBLEDAY,  PaGE    &    CoMPANY 

All  rights  reserved,  including  that  of 

translation  into  foreign  languages, 

including  the  Scandinavian 


COPYRIGHT,    IOI4,   BY  OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

ihe  biggest  of  the  four  lions Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

In  the  coast  belt 4 

M'Ganga — My  head  man  on  two  trips 5 

Kongoni,  Memba  Sasa,  Sanguika 12 

Dolo,  Sulimani,  The  Toto — our  donkey  force      ...  12 

Donkey  fully  packed 13 

Typical  camp — tents  in  a  circle,  goods  and  donkeys  in  the 

centre 20 

Porter's  camp 21 

Crossing  the  Southern  Gwaso  Nyero          28 

Crossing  the  Southern  Gwaso  Nyero — or  X'Gouramani — 

River         28 

SUnging  loads,  by  means  of  a  snatch  block,  across  the 

Southern  Gwaso  Nyero  River 29 

The  Southern  Gwaso  Nyero  River 29 

Masai  girl  and  married  woman 36 

Masai  married  woman 37 

Curtain  vines  in  the  canon  near  Mt.  Bellfield     ...  54 

The  Wasonzi  Village  near  01-Sambu 54 

Wasonzi  hut  with  fortified  doorway 55 

Guides  from  the  Wasonzi 55 

Crossing  the  swamps  above  Lake  Natron 64 

Soda  incrustations  at  the  head  of  Lake  Natron       .     .  65 

Head  shaving  by  the  porters 65 

The  Pleasant  Camp — at  which  we  did  not  stop       .      .  72 

How  we  sent  out  our  first  letters — in  the  spUt  stick     .      .  73 

The  sultan  of  the  Wasonzi — "The  oldest  man  I  ever  saw"  76 

Fortified  gate  below  the  Wasonzi  Village        ....  76 

The  Prime  Minister  of  the  Wasonzi 77 

Euphorbia  Forest  near  N'digadigu 80 

V 


aG504v 


vi  ILLUSTRATIONS 


rACING  PACE 

The  big  tree  near  N'digadigu 80 

Curious  example  of  a  strangling  vine        81 

Topi 90 

Big  herds  of  mixed  game  in  typical  hunting  country    .  91 
Constructing  one  of  the  storehouses  or  "caches"  in  which 

we  had  to  leave  our  surplus  goods 116 

One  of  our  storehouses  or  "caches"  completed  ...  116 

Typical  country  south  of  the  Bologonja  River    .      .      .  117 

Typical  hunting  country  in  the  new  region    .      .      .      .  132 

Where  the  big  lion  popped  up  in  my  face     .      ...  132 

This  lion  was  killed  stone  dead  while  in  full  charge      .  133 

Method  used  in  drying  lion  skins 138 

Marabout  stork 139 

A  typical  ostrich  nest 139 

My  Reconnaissance  Camp  in  the  region  south  of  the  Bolo- 
gonja River 140 

Zebra,  hartebeeste,  and  wildebeeste  in  the  new  country  141 

Zebra,  topi,  and  wildebeeste  in  the  new  country      .      .  141 

Wildebeeste 142 

A  morning  nap 142 

He  stops  in  contemplation 143 

He  departs 143 

He  wanders  stolidly  away 144 

Just  before  the  rush 145 

Fish  from  the  Mara  River 156 

One  of  the  channels  of  the  Mara  River 157 

Constructing  a  bridge  across  one  of  the  numerous  channels 

of  the  Mara  River 157 

The  Ikorongo  Mountains  from  the  East 166 

Hut  of  the  Ungruimi 166 

The  first  step  in  building  a  hut 167 

A  Nungruimi  granary 167 

Typical  N'gruimi  huts,  and  their  drunken  looking  gran- 
aries       172 

The  mountain  ranges  east  of  Myeru's 172 

Myeru — the  older  and  younger  .......  173 


ILLUSTRATIONS  vii 

FACING  PAGE 

An  extraordinary  example  of  stretched  ear  lobes      .      .  194 

The  white  and  pink  four-petalled  flowers              ...  195 

The  sultan  Missambi — in  white — and  one  of  his  courtiers  200 

These  girls  are  all  the  aflSanced  wi\-es  of  Missambi  .  201 
Grass  hut  near  Missambi's  village  in  which  I  took  up  my 

headquarters 201 

Huts  of  Walioba's  people — the  Wiregi 238 

A  Wiregi  village,  in  the  rocks 239 

These  outcrops  are  t}'pical  of  the  country  near  Victoria  Xy- 

anza 242 

The  Wiregi  guide  for  buffalo 243 

Walioba's  "Palace" 244 

Walioba— "Pere" 244 

An  example  of  ear  stretches  and  a  good  advertisement  for 

the  Kodak  Company 245 

Wiregi  porters  furnished  by  Walioba 245 

Entering  Musoma  on  Victoria  Nyanza 248 

The  "Chain  gang"  at  Musoma  in  charge  of  German  native 

soldiers 248 

R.  J.  Cuninghame  and  Stewart  Edward  White  on  their 

arrival  at  the  Lake 249 

The  four  survivors  of  the  donkey  train 254 

At  Musoma — the  only  sawmill  in  the  country          .      .  254 

The  entrance  to  Mara  Bay  taken  from  Victoria  Nyanza  255 

The  dhow  in  which  we  sailed  up  Victoria  Nyanza  255 
Loading  our  dhow  at  Musoma  for  the  trip  up  Victoria 

Nyanza 255 

Government  Post  (German)  at  Shirati 260 

"Bologna  Sausage"  tree.     From  the  wood  of  this  tree  is 

brewed  the  poison  the  natives  used  on  their  arrows     .  260 

A  Kavirondo  village 261 

Full  fed — and  absolutely  satisfied 266 

Although  generally  the  Kavirondo  women  go  stark  naked, 

when  they  marry  they  hang  one  of  these  "tails"  behind  266 

Kavirondo.     This  man  was  nearly  seven  feet  in  height  266 

Kavirondo  girl 267 


viii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

The  country  outside  the  elephant  forest 278 

The  upper  Tana  River  near  Fort  Hall 278 

The  base  camp  in  the  elephant  forest 279 

One  of  the  "Derobo"  elephant  hunters 284 

Savages  in  the  elephant  forest 284 

N'jahgi  (reader's  right)  and  his  head  assistant  .  .  .  284 
Mt.  Kenia.     It  is  very  difificult  to  get  a  picture  of  this 

mountain  owing  to  the  mists  that  enshroud  it  .  .  284 
The  mists  closing  down  on  Kenia  five  minutes  after  the 

other  photograph  was  taken 284 

Typical  elephant  forest 285 

Typical  elephant  cover 306 

Camp  in  the  forest  after  the  elephant  kill     .      ,           .  306 

"Chopping  out"  the  ivory 307 

Carrying  out  the  ivory 307 


THE 

REDISCOVERED 

COUNTRY 


THE   REDISCOVERED 
COUNTRY 

CHAPTER    I 

INTRODUCTORY 

In  1910-11  Mrs.  White,  R.  J.  Cuninghame,  and  my- 
self, with  a  small  safari  of  forty  men,  took  the  usual 
route  via  the  Kedong  valley,  Mount  Suswa,  Agate's 
Drift  to  Vandeweyer's  honia  on  the  Narossara  River. 
At  this  point  we  diverged  from  the  usual  route  and 
pushed  for  some  distance  south  into  the  Narossara 
Mountains.  We  found  ourselves  eventually  confronted 
by  a  barrier  range  which  we  could  not  then  cross,  owing 
to  lack  of  time,  lack  of  men,  and  lack  of  provisions. 
Inquiries  among  the  Masai  elicited  very  vague  de- 
scriptions of  high  mountain  ranges  succeeded  by  open 
country.  When  we  had  returned  to  civilization  we  dis- 
covered, to  our  surprise,  that  we  could  find  out  little  or 
nothing  of  what  lay  beyond  those  mountains.  They 
ran  in  a  general  northwesterly  direction  approximately 
along  the  Anglo-German  border,  so  that  their  hinter- 
land would  naturally  fall  within  the  German  protec- 
torate. But  whether  the  large  triangle  was  plains, 
hill,  or  dale;  whether  it  was  watered  or  arid;  whether 

3 


4  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

it  was  inhabited  or  desert;  whether  it  was  a  good  or  bad 
game  country,  we  were  unable  to  find  out.  No  Eng- 
lishman or  American  had  been  in  there,  and  as  far  as 
we  could  find  out  only  the  German  military  reconnois- 
sances  of  many  years  previous  possessed  even  the  slight- 
est knowledge  of  what  the  country  might  be  like.  This 
intrigued  our  curiosity.     We  resolved  to  go  in. 

In  the  meantime  both  Cuninghame  and  myself  tried 
every  possible  source  of  knowledge,  but  in  vain.  As 
far  as  we  could  find  out  no  sportsman  or  traveller  had 
ever  traversed  this  territory  save  the  two  or  three 
officials  mentioned.  The  net  results  of  the  latter's 
efforts — for  the  outside  world — were  in  two  maps, 
which  we  procured.  They  were  of  great  assistance, 
and  were  in  the  main  quite  accurate  for  the  line  of 
route  actually  trodden  by  their  makers.  Outside  of 
that  they  were  to  be  trusted  only  in  general.  To  all 
intents  and  purposes  we  were  the  first  to  explore  the 
possibilities  of  this  virgin  country.  If  not  its  discov- 
erers, we  were  at  least  its  rediscoverers. 

I  think  this  was  the  very  last  virgin  game  field — of 
any  great  size — remaining  to  be  discovered  and  opened 
up  to  sportsmen.  There  are  now  no  more  odd  corners 
to  be  looked  into. 

That  at  this  late  stage  of  the  world's  history  such  a 
place  still  remained  to  be  disclosed  is  a  very  curious 
fact.  The  natural  question  that  must  arise  in  every 
one's  mind,  and  that  must  first  of  all  be  answered,  is 


M'GAXGA — ilY  HEAD  ilAN  ON  TWO  TRIPS.      HE  WAS  A  VERY  ABLE 
EXECUTIVE  AND  SPOKE  MANY  NATIVE  LANGUAGES 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  5 

how  this  happens,  for  the  prevalent  behef  is  that  Eng- 
lish sportsmen  have  pretty  well  run  over  all  the  larger 
possibilities.  This  is  a  legitimate  question  and  a  legiti- 
mate wonder  that  should  be  answered  and  satisfied 
before  full  credence  can  be  placed  in  so  important  a 
discovery.  That  unknown  to  sportsmen  there  still 
remained  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  19 13  a  country 
as  big  as  the  celebrated  hunting  grounds  of  British 
East  Africa  and  even  better  stocked  with  game  is  due, 
briefly,  to  three  causes : 

In  the  first  place,  the  district  in  question  has  escaped 
the  knowledge  of  English  sportsmen  because  it  is  situ- 
ated in  a  very  out  of  the  way  corner  of  a  German  pro- 
tectorate. The  Englishman  is  not  at  home  in  German 
territory,  and,  as  long  as  he  can  get  sport  elsewhere — 
as  he  has  been  able  to  do — is  not  inclined  to  enter  it. 
In  the  second  place,  the  German  himself,  being  mainly 
interested  in  administrative  and  scientific  matters,  is 
rarely  in  the  technical  sense  a  sportsman.  The  usual 
Teuton  ofl&cial  or  settler  does  not  care  for  shooting  and 
exploration,  and  the  occasional  hunter  is  quite  content 
with  the  game  to  be  found  near  at  home.  He  does  not 
like  to  go  far  afield  unless  he  is  forced  to  do  so.  In  the 
third  place,  this  new  country  is  protected  on  all  sides 
by  natural  barriers.  Along  the  northern  limits,  whence 
the  English  sportsman*  might  venture,  extend  high, 

*  The  sportsmen  of  other  nationalities,  including  the  Germans,  are  in- 
clined to  hunt  in  British  territory  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  sporting 
facilities  are  there  perfected. 


6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

rough  ranges  of  mountains  through  which  are  no 
known  tracks.  On  all  other  sides  are  arid  and  nearly 
gameless  wastes.  Until  we  entered  the  country  there 
had  been  no  especial  reason  to  believe  these  wastes  were 
not  continuous. 

Thus  the  people  naturally  given  to  adventure  were 
discouraged  from  taking  a  go-look-see  by  a  combination 
of  natural  barriers,  racial  diffidence,  and  political  and 
official  red  tape.  Beside  which  the  English  had  not 
yet  come  to  an  end  of  their  own  possibilities  in  British 
East  Africa;  and  the  race  in  possession  simply  did  not 
care  enough  about  sport  to  go  so  far  merely  to  see  more 
animals  than  they  would  see  nearer  home.  In  other 
words,  from  the  German  side  this  patch  on  the  map 
was  much  too  far;  from  the  British  side  it  was  practically 
inaccessible. 

With  this  brief  but  necessary  explanation  accom- 
plished, we  can  go  on.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
when  Cuninghame  and  I  first  began  to  consider  this 
matter  there  was  no  suspicion  of  the  existence  of  any 
large,  unexplored  hunting  fields.  South  Africa  is  fin- 
ished; Nyassaland  offers  good  sport,  but  is  unhealthy, 
and  the  species  to  be  obtained  are  limited  in  number; 
small  open  areas  in  the  Congo,  Uganda,  the  Sudan, 
offer  miscellaneous  shooting,  but  are  isolated  and  remote; 
Rhodesia  and  British  East  Africa  are  the  great  game 
countries  par  excellence,  and  these,  while  wonderful, 
are  well  known.     There  is  no  lack  of  game  in  these 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  7 

countries — indeed,  it  would  be  difficult  even  to  convey 
a  faint  idea  of  its  abundance  to  one  who  had  never  seen 
it — but  in  a  rough  way  they  are  well  known,  they  have 
all  been  more  or  less  hunted,  and  conditions  have  been 
to  a  greater  or  lesser  degree  modified  by  the  white  man 
and  his  rifle. 

Now  I  think  you  will  all  bear  me  out  that  from  earli- 
est boyhood  the  one  regret  that  oftenest  visits  every 
true  sportsman  is  that  he  has  lived  so  late,  that  he  has 
not  been  able  to  see  with  his  own  eyes  the  great  game 
fields  as  we  read  about  them  in  the  days  of  their  abun- 
dance. It  is  an  academic  regret,  of  course.  Such 
things  are  not  for  him.  Trappers'  tales  of  when  the 
deer  used  to  be  abundant  on  Burnt  Creek;  old  men's 
stories  of  shooting  game  where  the  city  hall  now  stands ; 
the  pages  of  days  gone  by  in  the  book  of  years — we  listen 
and  read  and  sigh  a  little  regretfully. 

At  least  that  is  what  I  had  always  thought.  Then 
in  1 9 10  I  undertook  a  rather  long  journey  into  the  game 
fields  of  British  East  Africa.  There  I  found  the  reports 
not  at  aU  exaggerated.  The  game  was  present  in  its 
hundreds,  its  thousands.  If  I  had  done  what  most 
people  do — hunted  for  a  few  months  and  gone  away — 
I  should  have  felt  the  fullness  of  complete  satisfaction ; 
should  have  carried  home  with  me  the  realization,  the 
wondering  realization,  that  after  all  I  had  lived  not 
too  late  for  the  old  conditions.  But  I  stayed.  I  be- 
came acquainted  with  old-timers;  I  pushed  out  into 


8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

odd  corners  of  the  known  country.  And  by  degrees 
I  came  to  see  that  most  of  British  East  Africa  is  a  beaten 
track.  Shooters  are  sent  by  the  outfitting  firms  around 
oneor  the  other  of  several  well-known  circles.  The  day's 
marches  are  planned  in  advance;  the  night's  camps. 
There  is  plenty  of  game,  and  the  country  is  wild;  but 
the  sportsman  is  in  no  essentially  different  conditions 
here  than  when  with  his  guide  he  shoots  his  elk  in 
Jackson's  Hole  or  his  deer  in  the  Adirondacks. 

And  again  I  heard  the  tales  of  the  old-timers,  varying 
little  from  those  at  home — "in  the  old  days  before  the 
Sotik  was  overrun,  the  lions  would  stand  for  you" — 
''I  remember  the  elephants  used  to  migrate  every  two 
years  from  Kenia  across  the  Abedares" — "before  Nai- 
robi was  built  the  buffalo  used  to  feed  right  in  the 
open  until  nine  o'clock."  In  short,  spite  of  the  abun- 
dance of  the  game,  spite  of  the  excitement  and  danger 
still  to  be  enjoyed  with  some  of  its  more  truculent 
varieties,  the  same  wistful  regret  sooner  or  later  was 
sure  to  come  to  the  surface  of  thought — I  wish  I  could 
have  been  here  then,  could  have  seen  it  aU  when  the 
country  was  new. 

And  then  unexpectedly  came  just  this  experience. 
We  found  that  after  all  there  still  exists  a  land  where 
the  sound  of  a  rifle  is  unknown;  as  great  in  extent  as  the 
big  game  fields  of  British  East  Africa;  swarming  with 
untouched  game;  healthy,  and,  now  that  the  route  and 
method  have  been  worked  out,  easily  accessible  to  a 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  9 

man  who  is  willing  to  go  light  and  work.  Further- 
more, I  must  repeat,  this  is  the  last  new  game  field  of 
real  extent.  All  the  rest  of  the  continent  is  well 
enough  known.  Therefore  we  have  the  real  pleasure 
not  only  in  opening  a  new  and  rich  country  to  the 
knowledge  of  sportsmen,  but  the  added  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  we  are  the  last  who  will  ever  behold  such 
a  country  for  the  first  time. 

WTien  we  started  we  had  no  very  high  anticipations. 
There  is  plenty  of  waste  desert  land  in  Africa.  The 
country  between  Natron  and  Kilimanjaro — to  the 
east — is  arid  and  unproductive  of  much  of  anything  but 
thornbush;  there  was  no  real  reason  why  the  corre- 
sponding country  between  Natron  and  Victoria  Nyanza 
— to  the  west — should  be  any  different.  Only  that 
the  former  was  useless  was  a  well-known  fact ;  while  of 
the  latter  the  uselessness  was  only  supposition.  Cun- 
inghame  and  I  resolved  to  take  a  chance.  We  might 
find  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  for  our  pains;  but  even 
that  would  be  knowledge. 

As  far  as  we  could  see,  our  difficulties  could  be 
divided  into  several  classes.  In  the  first  place,  we 
must  get  permission  to  cross  the  boundary  between  the 
English  and  German  protectorates  at  a  point  where 
there  is  no  custom  house.  This  was  a  real  difficulty,  as 
those  who  know  the  usual  immutability  of  German 
officialdom  will  realize.  It  took  us  a  year  to  get  this 
permission;  and  in  the  process  many  personages,  in- 


lo  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

eluding  Colonel  Roosevelt,  the  German  Ambassador, 
and  high  officials  in  Berlin,  were  more  or  less  worried. 
Once  the  matter  was  carried  through,  however,  we  re- 
ceived the  most  courteous  treatment  and  especial  facili- 
ties from  the  German  Government.* 

Our  second  important  difficulty  was  our  lack  of 
knowledge  as  to  where  the  water  was  to  be  found.  We 
resolved  never  to  move  any  but  light  scouting  parties 
until  we  were  certain  as  to  where  next  we  were  to  drink. 
In  order  to  be  able  to  make  reconnoissances  we  had  built 
three  pairs  of  bags  made  from  double  canvas,  with  tin 
spouts,  and  arrangements  for  slinging  them  on  donkeys. 
The  latter  animals  can  go  two  full  days  without  water. 
Therefore  we  counted  on  a  scouting  radius  of  a  day  and 
a  half  before  it  would  be  necessary  to  return  to  the 
main  camp.  If  we  found  more  water  within  that 
period  we  would  naturally  be  able  to  extend  this 
radius.  As  a  matter  of  fact  we  were  never  reduced 
to  straits  for  water.  The  country  is  in  many  places 
very  dry,  and  waterholes  few  and  small;  but  one 
accustomed  to  arid  regions  who  knows  where  to  look 
should  never,  with  reasonable  precaution,  get  into 
difficulties. 

Our  third  great  difficulty  was  to  feed  our  men.     In 

*  We  arranged  with  the  German  consul  at  Mombasa  to  meet  a  German 
customs  official  at  a  designated  point  near  Lake  Natron  on  August  8th. 
Evidently  when  the  authorities  came  to  a  realization  of  what  a  long,  dry, 
unknown  journey  that  unfortimate  official  would  have  to  take  in  order  to 
keep  this  rendezvous,  they  changed  their  minds.  At  any  rate,  we  were 
later — as  wiU  be  seen — met  by  native  ninners  with  dispatches  absolving 
us  from  this  agreement. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  ii 

an  explored  country,  or  in  a  country^  known  to  be  in- 
habited, this  is  a  simple  matter;  one  merely  purchases 
from  the  natives  as  one  goes  along.  In  an  unknown  or 
uninhabited  region,  however,  the  situation  is  differ- 
ent. Each  porter  must  receive,  in  addition  to  meat,  a 
pound  and  a  half  of  grain  food  a  day  to  keep  him  strong 
and  in  good  health.  That  is  forty-five  pounds  per  month 
per  man.     One  must  know  where  that  can  be  found. 

As  a  porter  can  carr>'  sixty  pounds  only,  it  can  readily 
be  seen  that  supplies  must  be  renewed  at  least  every 
month.  To  overcome  this  difficulty  we  resolved  to 
use  donkeys  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  grain  food — 
or  potio — for  the  men ;  and  to  cut  down  the  numbers  of 
the  men  to  the  lowest  possible  point.  We  did  not  feel 
justified  in  depending  on  donkeys  for  our  whole  trans- 
port for  the  reason  that,  in  this  land  of  strange 
diseases,  we  could  by  no  means  feel  certain  of  their 
living;  and  we  could  not  take  a  chance  of  finding  our- 
selves stranded.  Each  donkey  would  carry  two  loads, 
and  would  not  require  feeding. 

For  these  twenty  beasts  Cuninghame  had  built  pack- 
saddles  after  the  American  "saw  buck"  pattern,  the 
first,  as  far  as  I  am  aware,  to  be  so  used  in  Central 
Africa.*  The  usual  native  saddle  is  a  flat  pad,  across 
which  the  bags,  fastened  loosely  together,  are  laid. 
On  the  level  this  works  well  enough,  but  up  or  down  hill 

*  One  other  American  hunter  had  experimented  with  them  near  Nairobi, 
but  reported  against  them.  This  was,  I  think,  because  he  did  not  take  the 
time,  trouble,  and  patience  personally  to  train  his  men. 


12  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  loads  are  constantly  slipping  off.  Then  the  donkey 
must  be  caught,  held,  and  the  loads  hoisted  aboard. 
It  takes  a  man  for  every  four  donkeys,  and  the  pace, 
as  can  be  imagined,  is  very  slow.  We  hoped  to  be  able 
to  train  natives  to  pack  American  style;  and  trusted 
that  by  means  of  the  special  saddles  the  usual  objection 
to  donkey  transport — viz.:  its  extreme  slowness  and 
uncertainty — would  be  overcome. 

Our  personal  outfit  we  reduced  to  a  minimum,  de- 
parting radically  from  the  conventional  and  accepted 
customs  of  African  travel.  Thus  our  tents  were  small 
and  light,  made,  floorcloth  and  all,  of  one  piece,  after 
a  pattern  invented  by  Cuninghame.  We  used  chop 
boxes  as  tables.  Our  personal  effects,  instruments, 
surgical  and  medical  material,  and  repair  kits  of  all 
sorts,  we  compressed  to  the  compass  of  three  tin  boxes. 
All  the  usual  extra  paraphernalia  of  African  travel  we 
cut  out  completely.  By  way  of  provisions  we  took 
merely  the  staple  groceries:  beans,  rice,  coffee,  tea, 
sugar,  flour,  oatmeal,  and  dehydrated  fruit.  Two  luxu- 
ries only  did  we  allow:  golden  syrup  and  a  light  folding 
camp-chair  apiece.  Nothing  rests  one  more  than  the 
latter  article  of  furniture.  Indeed,  for  this  sort  of  a 
hard  trip  I  should  almost  be  inclined  to  look  on  it  as  a 
necessity  rather  than  a  luxury!  Our  light  tents,  beds, 
seven  boxes  of  provisions,  trade  goods,  river  ropes, 
ammunition,  and  the  three  tin  boxes  made  something 
like  twenty  full  loads.     We  decided  to  take  thirty 


KONGONI,    MK.MBA    SASA,    SANGUIKA 


DOLO,   SLLlilAM,   THE   TOTO — OUR  DONKEY   FORCE 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  13 

porters,*  three  donkey  men,  and  seven  others,  including 
gunbearers,  camp  men,  cook,  and  head  boy.  Beside 
these  burden  bearers  were  twenty  donkeys  equipped  with 
pack-saddles,  and  twenty-five  other  donkeys  rigged 
in  the  native  fashion,  hired  to  take  their  loads  of  grain 
polio  over  the  mountains,  there  to  leave  them,  and  then 
immediately  to  return. 

We  started  out  with  two  riding  mules,  but  after  about 
twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  of  riding  we  had  to  pack 
them.  They  died;  and  we  walked  afoot  the  rest  of 
the  seventeen  hundred  miles. 

Our  men  we  picked  very  carefully.  Some  of  them, 
notably  M'ganga,  Memba  Sasa,  Kongoni,  and  Abba 
Ali,  had  been  with  me  on  former  expeditions.  All  were 
personally  known  either  to  Cuninghame  or  myself. 

As  will  appear  in  the  course  of  the  journals,  we  en- 
countered many  difficulties. 

I  would  impress  it  on  my  readers  as  emphatically  as 
I  am  able  that  this  is  not  a  soft  man's  country.  The 
"adventurer"  who  wants  to  go  out  with  a  big  caravan 
and  all  the  luxuries  should  go  to  British  East  Africa. 
The  man  too  old  or  fat  or  soft  to  stand  walking  under 
a  tropical  sun  should  stay  away,  for,  owing  to  prevalence 
of  tsetse,  riding  animals  are  impossible.  The  sport  will 
not  like  it;  but  the  sportsman  will.  This  country  is 
too  dry  for  agriculture;  the  tsetse  will  prohibit  cattle 
grazing;  the  hard  work  will  discourage  the  fellow  who 

*  Extra  men  to  make  up  for  sickness  and  accident  arc  absolutely  necessary. 


14  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

likes  his  shooting  brought  to  his  bedside.  But  the  real 
out-of-doors  man  who  believes  that  he  buys  fairly  his 
privilege  to  shoot  only  when  he  has  paid  a  certain  price 
of  manhood,  skill,  and  determination,  who  is  interested 
in  seeing  and  studying  game,  who  loves  exploring,  who 
wants  extra  good  trophies  that  have  never  been  picked 
over,  in  whose  heart  thrills  a  responsive  chord  at  the 
thought  of  being  first,  such  a  man  should  by  all  means 
go,  and  go  soon,  within  the  next  five  years.  It  is  a 
big  country,  and  much  remains  to  be  done.  He  can 
keep  healthy,  he  can  help  open  the  game  fields  for  the 
future  brother  sportsmen,  and  he  can  for  the  last  time 
in  the  world's  history  be  one  of  the  small  band  that 
will  see  the  real  thing! 

Nevertheless,  it  is  fully  appreciated  that,  to  the  aver- 
age man  with  limited  time,  even  a  virgin  game  district 
is  of  no  great  general  value  unless  it  can  be  got  at. 
The  average  sportsman  cannot  afford  to  make  great 
expenditures  of  time,  money,  or  energy  on  an  ordinary 
shooting  trip.  The  accessibility  as  well  as  the  abun- 
dance of  British  East  Africa  game  is  what  has  made 
that  country  so  famous  and  so  frequented.  It  would 
be  little  worth  your  while  as  practical  sportsmen  to 
spend  a  great  deal  of  time  over  descriptions  of  a  game 
field  so  remote  as  to  remain  forever  impossible  except 
to  the  serious  explorer,  nor  would  in  that  case  the  value 
of  discovering  an  unshot  country  possess  other  than 
academic  interest. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  15 

If  future  safaris  had  to  retrace  our  footsteps  in  this 
expedition,  the  game  would  hardly  be  worth  the  candle. 
It  would  take  too  long  to  get  there;  it  would  involve 
too  much  hard  work ;  it  would  involve  also  the  necessity 
of  doing  just  what  we  did  in  regard  to  food;  viz. :  carry- 
ing it  in  on  expensive  beasts  that  would  surely  be  fly- 
struck  and  die  soon  after  crossing  the  mountain  barrier. 
But  fortunately  this  is  not  necessary.  We  suffered  only 
the  inconveniences  inseparable  from  the  first  penetra- 
tion of  a  new  country.  We  paid  for  mistakes  in  route 
that  need  only  be  paid  once.  The  problems  of  food, 
transport,  and  water  still  remain;  but  we  have  worked 
out  a  solution  of  them  that  makes  the  country  practi- 
cable to  the  ordinary  sportsman.  In  the  appendix  de- 
tails are  given. 

I  am  convinced  that  these  are  the  hunting  fields  of 
the  future,  that  they  will  be  as  extensively  visited  in 
years  to  come  as  British  East  Africa  is  at  present. 
British  East  Africa  is  still  a  wonderful  hunting  field; 
but  it  is  passing  its  prime.  The  shooting  by  sportsmen 
would  never  much  diminish  the  game;  but  the  settler 
is  occupying  the  country^,  and  game  and  settlers  cannot 
live  together.  I  can  see  a  great  difference  even  in  three 
years.  In  time  the  game  will  be  killed  or  driven  far 
back — game  in  great  numbers — and  even  now,  abun- 
dant as  the  animals  still  are,  it  is  difficult  to  get  really 
fine  heads.     They  have  been  well  picked  over. 

This  particular  part  of  the  German  country,  on  the 


1 6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

other  hand,  as  said  before,  will  probably  never  be  occu- 
pied. It  is  not  fitted  for  agriculture,  the  rainfall  is  slight, 
water  is  scarce;  it  is  not  adapted  to  grazing,  for  tsetse  is 
everywhere.  The  game  has  it  all,  and  will  continue  to 
have  it  all.  Indiscriminate  shooting  during  a  great 
many  years  -and  by  a  great  many  people  would  hardly 
affect  this  marvellous  abundance  over  so  extensive  an 
area;  but,  of  course,  indiscriminate  shooting  in  these 
modern  days  of  game  laws  is  impossible.  The  supply 
is  practically  unlimited,  and  is  at  present  threatened 
with  no  influence  likely  to  diminish  it. 

For  the  next  five  or  ten  years  this  country  will,  in 
addition,  possess  for  the  really  enterprising  sportsman 
the  interest  of  exploration.  Our  brief  expedition  de- 
termined merely  the  existence  of  the  game  country, 
and,  roughly,  its  east-to-west  extent.  We  were  too 
busily  engaged  in  getting  on,  and  in  finding  our  way, 
to  do  as  thorough  a  job  as  would  have  been  desirable. 
Even  along  the  route  we  followed  months  could  be 
spent  finding  and  mapping  waterholes,  determining  the 
habitat  of  the  animals,  searching  out  the  little  patches 
where  extremely  local  beasts  might  dwell,  casting  out 
on  either  side  one,  two,  three  days'  marches  to  fill  in 
gaps  of  knowledge. 

To  the  south  of  us  lay  a  great  area  we  had  no  opportu- 
nity even  of  approaching,  and  concerning  which  we  heard 
fascinating  accounts — for  example,  the  Serengetti,*  a 

*  Not  to  be  confused  with  the  Serengetti  near  Tsavo. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  17 

grass  plain  many  days'  journey  across,  with  a  lake  in 
the  middle,  swarming  with  game  and  lions;  the  Ssale, 
a  series  of  bench  plateaus  said  to  be  stocked  with  black- 
maned  lions  beside  the  other  game;  some  big  volcanoes 
(some  of  which  we  spied  forty  miles  away)  with  forests 
and  meadows  and  elephants  in  the  craters;  and  so  on. 
All  this  remains  to  be  looked  over  and  reported  on. 
As  the  w^aterholes  are  found,  the  possibihties  of  reach- 
ing out  farther  will  be  extended.  We  have  really  only 
made  the  roughest  of  rough  sketches.  The  many 
sportsmen  who  will  follow  us  must  fill  in  the  picture. 


CHAPTER   II 

July  7. — Worked  all  the  morning  at  N.  T.  &  Co.'s 

store  fitting  saddles  to  donkeys — our  safari  kit  was  all 

made  ready  yesterday.     At  12:45  the  men  set  out;  and 

at  2:25  we  got  off  with  the  beasts.     Started  out  over 

the  hills  past  Government  House,  over  a  new  piece  of 

road  on  which  some  hundreds  of  Kikuyus  were  working 

strictly  by  hand,  and  so  out  to  a  rolling  wooded  green 

country  of  glades  and  openings,   tiny  streams,  and 

speckled  sunHght.     Little  forest  paths  led  off  in  all 

directions.     Natives  were  singing  and  chanting  near 

and  far.     There  were  many  birds.     Toward  evening 

we  passed  a  long  safari  of  native  women,  each  bent 

forward  under  a  load  of  firewood  that  weighed  sixty  to 

eighty  pounds.     Even  the  littlest  little  girls  carried 

their  share.     They  seemed  cheerful,  and  were  taking 

the  really  hard  work  as  a  tremendous  joke.     We  passed 

them  strung  out  singly  or  in  groups,  for  upward  of  half 

an  hour;  then  their  road  turned  off  from  ours;  and  still 

they  had  not  ceased.     Camped  after  nine  miles  near  the 

mountain  of  N'gong.     Vanderweyer 's  farm  is  near 

here ;  and  there  are  staying  the  guides  he  promised  us  to 

take  us  across  the  dry  country  to  his  trading  homa  on 

the  Narossara  River.     M  'ganga  went  over  to  see  them. 

18 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  19 

July  8. — Up  at  five,  with  breakfast  in  the  dark. 
Then  we  sat  ourselves  down  to  wait  for  the  guides  who 
had  promised  to  be  over  early.  They  drifted  in  at 
8:10,  and  we  set  out.  After  we  had  been  going  some 
little  time  they  blandly  informed  us  that  the  track  we 
had  been  advised  to  take  was  without  water  for  three 
days.  That  they  told  us  at  all  was  entirely  accidental. 
We  immediately  called  a  halt  and  after  some  shauri* 
we  headed  at  right  angles  for  Kedong.  It  was  a  park 
country  aU  day,  with  forests,  groves,  open  meadows, 
side  hiU  shambas,^  and  beautiful  intimate  prospects 
through  trees.     Kiku>ais  were  ever^-where. 

At  about  ten  o  'clock  we  came  to  a  little  boggy  stream, 
insignificant  to  look  at,  and  unimportant  to  porters,  but 
terrible  to  donkeys.  We  built  a  sort  of  causeway  of 
branches,  rushes,  earth,  etc.,  and  then  set  in  to  get  our 
faithful  friends  to  use  it.  Then  and  there  we  discov- 
ered that  when  a  donkey  gets  discouraged  over  any- 
thing, he  simply  lies  down,  and  has  to  be  lifted  bodily 
to  a  pair  of  very  limber  legs  before  he  will  go  on. 
Luckily  these  were  smaU  donkeys;  we  lifted  most  of 
them. 

After  a  time  we  topped  a  ridge  and  came  out  on 
roUing  grass  hills,  with  lakes  of  grass  in  valleys,  and 
cattle  feeding,  and  a  distant  uplift  that  marked  the 
limit  of  the  Likipia  escarpment.    At  two  o'clock  we 

*Confab,  pow-wow. 
tNative  clearings. 


20  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

made  camp  in  the  high  grass  atop  one  of  these 
swells.  All  afternoon  we  worked  busily  remedying 
defects  in  our  saddlery,  rivetiag,  sewing,  and  cutting. 
That  night  we  heard  again  our  old  friends  the  fever  owls. 

Four  and  three-quarter  hours;  iij  miles;  elevation, 
6,900;  ther.,  5:00  A.  M.,  52;  2:00  p.  M.,  78;  8:30,  58. 

July  9. — Daylight  showed  us  a  beautiful  spectacle 
of  lakes  of  fog  in  the  shallow  valleys  below  us,  and 
trailing  mists  along  the  hills,  and  ghostlike  trees 
through  thin  fog.  We  stumbled  for  a  time  over  lava 
debris  under  the  long  grass.  At  the  end  of  an  hour  or  so 
the  sun  had  burned  the  fog — and  dried  our  legs.  We 
came  to  the  edge  of  the  escarpment  and  looked  at  the 
Kedong  a  half  mile  directly  below.  Atop  the  bench 
we  saw  our  first  game :  a  herd  of  impalla  and  twelve 
zebra. 

Then  we  went  down  2,400  feet,  nearly  straight.  We 
did  not  do  it  all  at  once — not  any !  Not  until  nearly 
sundown.  The  men  went  all  right,  but  the  donkeys  were 
new  to  the  work,*  the  saddlery  not  yet  adjusted,  and 
we  ignorant  of  how  to  work  this  sort  of  cazi.  We  had 
to  adjust  packs  every  few  minutes,  sometimes  to  re- 
pack. About  noon  some  of  the  beasts  lay  down  and 
refused  to  get  up.  We  unpacked  them,  took  off  their 
saddles.     They    stretched    out    absolutely    flat    and 


*  These  African  donkeys  have  for  generations  lived  their  lives  on  the  plains. 
They  are  quite  unaccustomed  to  hills,  and  have  no  idea  of  how  to  handle 
themselves  in  difficult  country.  In  this  they  differ  markedly  from  our  own 
western  burros. 


♦ 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  21 

looked  moribund.  We  thought  three  of  them  dying. 
Not  a  bit.  After  half  an  hour  they  arose  refreshed.  In 
aU  we  left  eight  loads  of  potio  by  the  trail  and  drove 
the  donkeys  on  light.  The  going  was  very  steep  and 
stony,  and  the  sun  fierce.  Our  little  force  of  white  men, 
two  donkey  men,  and  three  gunbearers  certainly  worked 
hard. 

At  four  o'clock,  all  but  four  being  off  the  hill,  I  rode 
ahead  across  the  flat  to  camp  and  sent  back  fifteen  men 
with  lanterns  to  bring  in  loads.  On  the  plains  I  saw 
many  Grant's  gazelles,  one  oryx,  some  kongoni,  zebra, 
and  ostrich.  Our  camp  was  by  the  Kedong  "River,"  a 
little  stream  a  few  feet  wide.  About  us  were  lava  beds 
and  benches.  The  high  sheer  escarpment  lay  on  one 
side,  and  the  lofty  cone  of  Mount  Suswa  on  the  other. 
It  was  perhaps  twenty  miles  to  the  south  from  my  camp 
of  1910. 

At  six  o'clock  all  the  animals  were  in;  but  some  of  the 
men  who  went  after  loads  were  out  all  night.  It  was 
amusing  to  see  how  the  donkeys  sidled  up  to  one,  in- 
sistently, begging  plainly  to  have  their  loads  taken  off. 

Eleven  and  one  half  hours;  9  miles;  elevation,  4,500; 
ther,,  5:00  A.  M.,  50;  noon  (?);8:30,  68. 

July  10. — A  warm  night.  It  was  agreed  that  I  was 
to  push  on  with  the  men  to  the  next  water,  while 
Cuninghame  rested  and  grazed  the  donkeys,  and  awaited 
the  men  who  had  been  out  all  night.  Climbed  suc- 
cessively several  low  lava  benches  to  a  plateau,  and 


22  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

then  marched  across  a  broken  volcanic  plain  south  of 
Suswa.  Memba  Sasa  stayed  to  help  with  the  donkeys, 
and  Kongoni  accompanied  me  in  advance  to  pick  up 
meat.  We  were  here  in  the  game  reserve  and  were  not 
supposed  to  do  any  shooting,  but  in  view  of  the  terribly 
hard  work  the  men  were  performing  Cuninghame's 
judgment  was  in  favour  of  shooting  a  really  necessary 
beast  or  so.  Later  we  would  report  the  fact  to  the 
Game  Department  and  obtain  official  absolution. 

Kongoni's  conversation  was  most  engaging  as  he  told 
me  all  about  a  number  of  safaris  he  had  been  on  since 
last  we  met. 

"Now,"  said  he  in  conclusion,  "when  you  were  here 
before,  you  shot  well.  See  that  you  shoot  well  now," 
with  which  admonition  he  fell  silent  and  dropped  be- 
hind. 

Heard  a  lion  up  near  Suswa,  and  saw  many  fresh 
tracks.  The  sky  was  thinly  overcast.  Saw  a  good  deal 
of  game  of  the  following  species:  Roberts'  gazelle,  im- 
palla,  zebra,  eland,  kongoni,  steinbuck,  ostrich,  guinea 
fowl,  and  spurfowl.  The  grass  is  very  long.  When 
near  the  next  water  I  fired  my  first  shot  this  trip  at  a 
gazelle  at  about  200  yards.  It  was  a  miss,  but  shortly 
I  killed  one  at  155  yards.  This  settled  our  own  meat. 
Next,  for  the  men,  I  hit  a  zebra  at  260  and  brought  him 
down  by  a  good  long  one  at  377.  The  last  was  very 
lucky,  but  it  pleased  Kongoni  immensely.  He  clapped 
me  on  the  back.    The  safari  came  along,  picked  up  the 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  23 

meat,  and  we  marched  off  the  rocky  plateau  into  a  deep 
gorge  where  were  rock  pockets  of  water.  The  gorge  is 
one  running  out  from  Suswa.  Indeed,  we  are  only 
barely  off  the  slope.  Here  we  made  camp  by  some  ex- 
traordinarily vivid  green  bushes. 

Cuninghame  waited  four  hours  before  starting,  in 
order  to  graze  the  donkeys.  He  got  in  about  two  o'clock, 
reporting  a  quick  easy  trip  with  everything  going  nobly. 

Three  and  a  half  hours;  9I  miles;  elevation,  4,500; 
ther.,  5:00  A.  M.,  58;  noon,  St,;  8:30  p.  m.,  68. 

July  II. — Porter  preparing  my  box  for  the  march. 
To  him  M'ganga: 

"If  you  put  that  meat  on  that  box,  it  will  smell;  and 
the  hwana  will  say  something,  and  he'll  say  it  to  me.'' 

Off  at  6:40.  The  early  mornings  are  most  strenuous 
times  for  Cuninghame  and  me.  Our  usual  dispositions 
are  as  follows:  At  once  on  reaching  camp  the  loads 
are  removed  from  the  donkeys,  and  they  are  allowed 
to  graze  about  a  while  with  their  saddles  on  until  their 
backs  have  had  time  to  cool  a  bit.  Then  off-saddle 
and  the  Toto  takes  them  grazing  until  dusk.  At  dark 
they  are  driven  into  the  circle  formed  by  our  tents. 
There  two  heavy  ropes  have  been  stretched  along  the 
ground  between  pegs.  At  intervals  rawhide  thongs 
have  been  attached  to  these  ropes,  and  by  the  thongs 
the  donkeys  are  made  fast  by  the  foreleg.  No  Ameri- 
can animal  would  stand  for  this  treatment,  but  these 
beasts  are  quite  peaceable.     In  the  morning  Memba 


24  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Sasa,  Kongoni,  Sanguiki,  Sulimani,  and  Dolo  have  the 
task  of  saddling  up.  Cuninghame  and  I  circulate  rap- 
idly, keeping  track  of  things.  It  is  astonishing  how 
many  wrong  ways  there  are  of  saddling  a  donkey;  but 
most  of  the  boys  are  bright,  and  are  learning  rapidly 
all  the  little  kinks.  When  the  job  is  finished  we  make 
a  final  inspection,  seeing  that  the  breeching,  breasting^ 
and  cinches  are  all  right,  that  the  saddle  is  weU  back 
from  the  withers — an  absolute  necessity  with  donkeys 
— that  the  pads  are  weU  loosened  along  the  backbone, 
etc.  All  being  in  order,  the  men  come  up  in  pairs, 
lifting  the  loads  aboard.  We  cinch  them  in  place,  and 
are  off. 

During  the  day  our  chief  concern  is  to  keep  those 
blessed  donkeys  on  their  feet.  Once  one  hes  down,  for 
any  reason  whatever,  it  takes  three  men  to  get  him  up 
again — one  to  urge,  the  other  two  to  ease  him  of  his 
loads.  Often  he  must  be  unpacked  before  he  will  rise. 
As  a  general  thing  they  toddle  along  well  enough  the 
first  part  of  the  day,  but  toward  ten  o'clock  they  begin 
to  flop  down  in  almost  any  likely  place.  A  patch  of 
sand  or  dust  seems  irresistible.  When  such  is  en- 
countered, everybody  begins  to  yeU  and  shout  and 
rush  to  and  fro  trying  to  hustle  them  across.  And  if  one 
lies  down,  many  others  are  apt  to  follow  his  example. 
It  is  dusty,  hot  aggravating  work ;  but  it  has  to  be  done 
if  we  are  to  get  into  the  unknown  country  at  aU. 

Travelled  aU  morning  through  an  Arizona-like  coun- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  25 

try  of  buttes,  cliffs,  and  wide  grassy  sweeps.  Against 
Mount  Suswa  we  saw  many  steam  blowholes  like  camp- 
fire  smokes.  Footing  bad.  At  first  cool;  then  a  very 
powerful  sun.  Saw  considerable  game  in  streaks — 
kongoni,  a  few  zebra,  many  Robertsi,  a  herd  of  eland, 
a  few  Tommy,  and  ostrich.  About  noon  we  entered  the 
hills  through  a  gateway  and  almost  immediately  came 
to  a  dry  stream  bed  in  lava  rocks,  well  up  in  the  hills. 
The  sun  here  was  reflected  with  fearful  strength.  Every- 
body pretty  weU  done.  We  had  the  men  sit  down,  and 
started  out  to  search  for  water.  A  mile  or  so  up  we 
discovered  a  rock  "tank"  with  gravel  beach  containing 
a  sort  of  green  Uquid.  It  was  atrociously  bad,  but  by 
digging  holes  in  the  gravel,  nearly  enough  filtered 
through  to  supply  man  and  beast  with  a  passable  beve- 
rage.    Sun  very  fierce  among  these  rocky  hills. 

Out  making  observations  with  the  prismatic,  saw  a 
klip-springer,  and  was  followed  by  my  old  friend  the 
kalele  plover. 

On  my  return  Cuninghame  and  I  crawled  up  the 
stream  bed  until  we  found  a  natural  bower  where  the 
bushes  overarched,  and  there  we  ate  and  sat  until  the 
heat  of  the  day  had  passed.  One  of  the  boys,  out  look- 
ing for  better  water,  found  a  fresh  lion  lair.  As  I  have 
said,  we  always  pitch  the  tents  in  a  circle,  and  tether 
the  donkeys  in  the  middle  at  night,  but  have  intended 
to  make  no  attempt  to  keep  up  fires.  Sulimani  was 
once  an  askari,  however,  and  he  has  taken  it  on  himself 


26  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

to  keep  a  night  fire.  To  this  end  he  sleeps  in  the  open 
alongside  his  blaze.  Periodically  he  arises,  buckles  on 
a  cartridge  belt,  seizes  his  gun,  puts  a  stick  on  the  fire, 
lays  dowTi  the  gun,  takes  off  the  cartridge  belt,  and 
stretches  himself  out  to  sleep.  Great  is  habit!  It  is 
very  amusing. 

Five  hours;  14  miles;  elevation,  4,500;  5:00  a.  m.,  60; 
noon,  84;  8:30  p.  M.,  65. 

July  12. — Start  at  6:40  through  a  rocky  volcanic  pass 
out  on  to  a  long  scrub  slope,  miles  and  miles  wide,  at 
the  foot  of  which  was  the  N'gouramani  River*  and 
the  Mau  escarpment.  Beyond  and  above  the  latter  we 
could  see  the  Narossara  Mountains. 

The  men  knew  this  was  to  be  a  long,  hard  march,  and 
they  were  aU  improvising  songs  the  burden  of  which 
was  "Campi  m'bale,  campi  m^bale  sana."  {''  Camp  is  far, 
camp  is  very  far.") 

We  saw  little  game  until  within  four  or  five  miles  of 
the  river.  Then  appeared  Robertsi,  zebra,  kongoni, 
one  herd  oryx,  ostrich,  many  warthog,  and  six  giraffe. 
Brilliant  bul-buls,  horn-bills,  mori,  and  many  grouse 
represented  the  bird  family.  Near  the  river  were 
hundreds  of  parrots. 

The  river  which  we  reached  at  last  about  two  o'clock 
proved  to  be  in  flood  and  running  fast.  A  rotten  old 
rope  spanned  it.     Four  Kikuyus  were  drowned  here 

*  Otherwise  the  Southern  Gwaso  Nyero.  I  prefer  the  other  name  to 
distinguish  it  from  the  Northern  Gwaso  Nyero,  from  which  it  is  separated 
by  some  hundreds  of  nules. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  27 

last  week.  By  means  of  the  rope  we  crossed  several 
men  who  pulled  over  our  o^\ti  sound  rope  and  strung 
it  between  two  trees.  I  crossed — up  to  my  armpits, 
and  holding  very  fast — and  took  charge  of  the  farther 
end.  The  moment  I  entered  the  water  the  men  set 
up  a  weird  minor  chant  to  the  effect : 

"The  bwana  is  entering  the  water;  the  bwana  is  in  the 
water;  the  bwana  is  nearly  across;  the  bwana  is  out  of 
the  water." 
They  tightened  the  rope  by  song  also : 
Headman  (sings):  "Ka-lam-bay!    Men  Huh V' 
Headman :  * '  Ka-lam-bay !    Men  Huh ! ' ' 
Headman:  "Kalambay  00  chak  a  la  fa!    Men  Hu-a- 
a-y!" 

The  pull  comes  only  at  the  hu-a-a-y,  but  it  is  a  good 
one.  On  the  cable  we  strung  a  snatch  block  and  a 
light  line,  and  thus  pulled  all  the  loads  across.  This 
took  us  all  afternoon  so  the  donke}'s  we  left  until  to- 
morrow. To  cross  seventy  loads  one  at  a  time  is  some 
cazi,  for  each  has  to  be  slung  separately.  At  dark  we 
changed  our  wet  clothes  and  enjoyed  dinner! 

Seven  hours;  19  miles;  elevation,  4,100;  5:00  a.  m., 
58;  noon  (?);  8:30  p.  m.,  60. 

July  13. — Leaving  Cuninghame  to  rig  the  tackle,  I 
took  a  three-hour  jaunt  downstream  to  get  meat.  The 
little  strip  between  the  escarpment  and  the  river  is 
only  a  few  hundred  yards  to  half  a  mile  wide,  but  is 
diversified  with  brush,  trees,  and  grass  country.     Saw 


28  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

three  waterbuck,  fifteen  kongoni,  twelve  zebra,  one 
dik-dik,  and  some  impalla,  and  heard  Hon  and  hyena. 
Game  birds,  however,  wxre  in  swarms.  At  every  step 
I  flushed  grouse,  quail,  guinea  fowl,  or  pigeons.  Killed 
a  kongoni  with  ones  hot  off  hand  at  247  yards,  and  re- 
turned to  find  Cuninghame  ready  for  business. 

We  then  tackled  the  donkey  question.  Our  method 
was  as  follows:  Cuninghame  and  half  a  dozen  huskies 
hitched  a  donkey  to  the  end  of  a  long  rope  the  other 
end  of  which  I,  across  the  river,  held.  Then  they 
lifted  that  reluctant  donkey  bodily  and  launched  him 
in.  I  tried  to  guide  him  to  the  only  possible  landing- 
place  fifty  yards  or  so  downstream.  This  was  easy 
enough  with  the  two  mules;  I  merely  held  tight,  let 
them  swim,  and  the  current  swung  them  around.  Not 
so  the  donkeys!  They  naturally  swim  very  low,  the 
least  thing  puts  them  under,  then  they  get  panicky,  they 
try  to  turn  back,  they  try  to  swim  upstream;  in  short, 
they  do  everything  they  should  not  do.  Result :  about 
25  per  cent,  went  across  by  schedule,  the  rest  had  to  be 
pulled,  hauled,  slacked  off,  grabbed,  and  yanked  out 
bodily.  Some  just  plain  sank,  and  them  we  pulled  in 
hand  over  hand  as  fast  as  we  could  haul  them  under 
water — in  the  hope  of  getting  them  over  before  they 
drowned.  Succeeded,  but  some  were  pretty  groggy. 
One  came  revolving  like  a  spinner,  over  and  over.  Each 
animal  required  individual  treatment  at  the  line,  and 
after  two  experiments  with  the  best  of  the  men  we 


r 


CROSSING  THE  SOUTHERN  GWASO  N^YERO — OR  N'GOURAJIANI — RIVER.      GETTING 

THE    FIRST    LIGHT    LINE    OVER 

SEE  PAGE   27 


CROSSING        III, 


k.\    GWASO    WKRO.      GETTING   THE    LINE   OVER 
SEE  PAGE   27 


SLINGING   LOADS,   BY  MEANS   OF  A  SNATCH  BLOCK,   ACROSS  THE   SOUTHERN 

GWASO  NYERO   RIVER 

SEE  PAGE  29 


THE   SOUTHERN    GWASO   NYERO   RIVER 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  29 

decided  I'd  better  keep  that  job.  Talk  about  your 
tuna  fishing!  I  landed  twenty  big  donkeys  in  two 
hours ! 

Then  we  had  lunch;  and  to  us,  out  of  the  blue,  came 
Vanderweyer 's  man,  Dowdi,  saying  that  his  master's 
donkeys  and  loads  of  sugar  had  been  camped  a  mile  or 
so  back  for  the  past  twenty-two  days  waiting  for  the 
river  to  go  do\^Ti  so  they  could  cross,  and  would  we 
cross  them?  Now,  beside  doing  Vanderweyer  a  good 
turn,  we  had  counted  on  hiring  some  of  these  same 
donkeys  for  a  short  time  to  help  us  on  with  our  potio; 
which  obviously  we  could  not  do  if  the  beasts  were  on 
the  wrong  side  of  the  river.  Dowdi  told  us  there  were 
twenty-five.     So  we  took  on  the  job. 

The  men  crossed  the  loads  by  cable  while  Cuning- 
hame  and  I  went  to  submarine  donkey  fishing  again. 
Muscularly  it  was  hard  work,  but  actually  it  was 
rather  fun,  with  a  dash  of  uncertainty  and  no  two  alike. 
After  we  had  worked  an  hour  or  so  and  were  just 
getting  down  to  the  last  of  the  bunch,  more  donkeys 
appeared.  Instead  of  twenty-five  there  proved  to  be 
forty-seven.  Wily  Dowdi  had  lured  us  on!  We  got 
quite  expert.  The  moment  the  line  was  hauled  back 
by  means  of  a  cord,  Cuninghame  clapped  on  the  hitch, 
the  donkey  was  unceremoniously  dumped  in,  and  I 
hauled  him  across  any  side  up  he  happened  to  be.  We 
had  long  since  got  over  being  tender  of  their  feelings. 
My  men  received  him,  yanked  him  to  his  feet,  and 


30  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

left  him  blowing  and  dripping  to  take  care  of  himself. 
We  crossed  twenty-one  in  the  last  hour!  In  all  sixty- 
seven  and  two  mules.  Remained  only  to  reclaim  our 
tackle,  and  we  are  ready  for  to-morrow's  march.  But 
we  are  dead  dogs  to-night! 
Five  o'clock,  49;  noon  (?);  night,  63. 


CHAPTER  III 

July  14. — At  our  usual  6:40  we  were  off  to  climb 
the  first  step  of  the  escarpment.  Struck  a  Masai  track 
and  so  went  up  rather  easily.  The  donkeys  travel 
much  better  uphill  than  down.  Met  four  Masai  run- 
ners, their  spears  bound  in  red  indicating  that  they 
were  bearers  of  messages. 

At  the  top  which  was  a  matter  of  some  fifteen  hun- 
dred feet,  at  a  guess,  we  journeyed  through  a  steppe  of 
thin  scrub  and  grassy  openings,  with  occasional  little 
hills.  On  this  same  steppe  two  years  ago,  but  much 
farther  to  the  south,  I  killed  two  lions.  Passed  some 
Masai  villages,  with  the  fair  ones  seated  outside  pol- 
ishing their  ornaments  while  the  naked  children  and 
the  dogs  played  around  them.  Here  I  shot  a  marabout, 
but  his  tail  proved  not  worth  saving.  Shortly  after 
saw  some  Robertsi  far  down  the  valley  to  the  left, 
and  got  lured  away  after  them.  In  the  course  of  my 
stalk  I  passed  thirteen  giraffe,  very  tame,  that  looked 
on  me  with  mild  curiosity.  Got  within  200  yards  of 
my  herd,  and  hit  my  buck,  but  only  in  the  ribs.  Then 
began  one  of  those  long,  stern  chases  that  take  so  much 
time  and  work.  The  buck  was  "unreasonably  sus- 
picious," and  there  was  no  cover  in  which  to  approach 

31 


32  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

him.  I  sometimes  had  great  difficulty  in  keeping  tabs 
on  him  at  all  through  the  heat  haze.  After  great 
difficulty  got  within  250  yards — and  missed.  A  mile 
farther  took  another  chance  at  somewhere  beween 
200  and  300  yards  and  hit  high  in  the  flank.  Missed 
again,  as  he  made  off.  A  mile  farther  killed  him  with  a 
square  shoulder  shot  at  277  yards. 

Much  relieved,  we  took  the  meat  and  trophy,  found 
the  trail  of  the  safari,  and  set  out  to  follow  it.  This 
led  us  across  the  plains,  through  a  low  pass  and  into  a 
pocket  of  the  hills  just  like  some  of  the  little  hot  valleys 
in  our  coast  range.  A  dry  wash  ran  through  it,  but 
some  holes  contained  enough  water  for  our  purposes. 
The  mountains  round  about  were  covered  with  chap- 
arral. 

In  this,  rather  to  our  surprise,  we  saw  zebra.  In 
fact  later  (these  notes  are  being  written  August  8th) 
we  found  a  great  deal  of  plains  game  in  the  brush  hills, 
driven  from  the  plains  by  the  increase  of  Masai  cattle. 
Cuninghame  is  inclined  to  think  that  the  future  of  the 
plains  game  in  British  East  Africa  is  just  this,  and  not 
extermination.  If  so,  good-bye  the  millionaire  safari! 
To  hunt  game,  no  matter  how  abundant,  on  these  hills 
and  in  this  brush  would  require  altogether  too  much 
work  and  skill  for  those  "softlings." 

Incidentally,  the  zebra,  so  conspicuous  on  the  plains, 
is  very  hard  to  make  out,  even  near-to,  in  the  brush. 
This  is  in  thin  brush  where  the  conceahng  quality  of 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  33 

the  cover,  per  se,  is  very  slight.  The  direction  of  the 
light  has  little  to  do  with  it.  They  are  quite  invisible 
where  the  neutral-coloured  kongoni  are  plainly  seen. 
Even  the  natives  often  overlook  them  at  less  than  100 
yards ! 

At  three  o'clock  Cuninghame  and  I  sauntered  up  into 
the  hills  to  pick  up  men's  meat,  if  possible,  and  to  see 
what  we  could.  We  found  ourselves  in  a  broken,  hilly, 
brushy  country,  semi-mountainous,  again  like  Califor- 
nia coast  ranges.  A  few  Roberts'  gazelles  in  an  open- 
ing atop  a  round  hill  and  two  giraffe  were  about  the 
size  of  it  until  late,  when  we  made  out  a  herd  of  zebra 
on  the  mountain  opposite.  I  sneaked  over,  stalked 
within  range,  and  missed  through  the  brush.  The  herd 
clattered  away  up  the  side  hill,  dodging  in  and  out  the 
brush.  Catching  a  glimpse  of  a  darker  object,  I  took 
a  quick  sight  and  had  the  luck  to  bring  it  down  dead  at 
310  yards.  It  proved  to  be  a  fine  old  bull  wildebeeste 
that  had  strayed  off  with  the  zebra !  Think  of  a  wilde- 
beeste far  within  the  mountains,  in  thick  cover,  and 
miles  from  the  nearest  plains ! 

Leaving  the  men  to  take  in  the  meat,  we  went  home 
along  the  top  of  a  very  high  ridge,  or  mountain  range, 
enjoying  the  cool  sunset  and  the  view  far  abroad  over 
the  land.  On  this  extreme  summit  we  found  impalla 
and  kongoni  in  numbers!  Three  years  ago  I  should 
certainly  have  considered  country  of  this  nature  as 
probably  quite  barren  of  game.     Change  of  habitat 


34  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

under  stress  is  a  very  curious  thing,  and  should  be  more 
taken  into  consideration. 

This  evening  the  camp,  which  has  been  rather  silent 
of  late,  burst  into  many  little  fires  and  the  chanting  of 
songs.  Meat  once  more  was  roasting  and  frying  and 
broiling,  and  everybody  was  happy!  Though  the 
temperature  in  the  shade  has  been  low,  the  sun  was 
very  strong. 

Eight  miles;  5J  hours;  elevation,  6,600;  5  :oo  a.m.,  50; 
noon,  72;  night,  62. 

July  15. — Start  6:30.  Clambered  through  a  rocky 
brushy  pass,  out  of  the  hills,  to  the  high,  rolling  grass 
hills  below  the  Narossara.  Saw  a  great  many  zebra, 
but  no  other  game  until  we  caught  sight  of  a  lone  wilde- 
beeste  to  the  left.  I  made  a  long  and  careful  stalk  in 
good  cover  to  leeward,  but  he  was  wary  and  was  fright- 
ened away  by  the  birds.  However,  by  careful  work  I 
managed  at  last  to  get  within  240  yards,  when  I  hit 
him  low  in  the  shoulder.  He  ran  some  300  yards,  but 
then  went  down. 

While  we  were  preparing  this  trophy,  M'ganga  came 
with  reports  of  eland  in  the  next  valley.  Leaving  men 
with  the  wildebeeste,  Cuninghame  and  I  at  once  set  off. 
If  the  report  proved  true,  we  considered  ourselves  in 
luck.  One  of  our  desiderata  was  a  female  eland;  and  if 
we  could  get  it  before  leaving  Vanderweyer's  we  would 
save  ourselves  carrying  farther  a  very  heavy  trophy. 
We  found  a  lone  cow  lying  under  a  tree  and  guarded  by 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 


o:) 


several  hundred  zebra.  To  get  within  range  we  had 
to  slip  down  the  side  hill,  practically  no  cover,  taking 
care  to  be  seen  neither  by  her  nor  the  zebra.  We  took 
much  time  and  got  as  near  as  we  could.  She  was  lying 
down,  facing  away  from  us,  and  to  get  her  I  had  to  hit 
about  ten  inches  of  spine.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
get  any  nearer,  so  I  rested  up  from  the  crawling  and 
tried  the  shot.  Had  luck,  and  hit  the  exact  spot.  She 
got  to  her  feet,  staggered  ten  yards,  and  went  down — 
263  yards.     Fine  female  to  go  with  my  big  bull. 

Got  in  to  Vanderweyer's  about  one  o'clock,  and 
camped  in  our  old  place  by  the  Narossara  River.*  Van- 
derweyer  has  shaved  off  his  beard.  He  still  trades  with 
the  Masai,  and  tames  chickens  to  sit  on  his  shoulder. 
We  had  a  talk,  got  some  trade  goods  of  him,  and  had 
him  to  dine. 

With  him  we  talked  over  our  next  step,  for  from  his 
boma  we  started  three  years  ago  when  we  got  our  little 
taste  of  the  new  country  to  the  south.*  He  advised 
our  going  on  to  the  village  of  old  Naiokatoku,*  other- 
wise knowTi  as  Sendeu,  promising  that  that  chief  would 
supply  us  with  guides.  Remembering  the  old  fellow's 
friendly  attitude  in  191 1,  we  agreed.  Furthermore, 
we  made  an  arrangement  with  Vanderweyer  for  the 
hire  of  twenty-five  of  his  donkeys,  together  with  six 
men  to  run  them,  to  carry  potto  for  us  until  we  had 
crossed  the  mountain  barrier  to  the  south.     Then  they 


*See  "African  Camp  Fires." 


36  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

were  to  return.  The  hire  was  Rs  12  ($4)  per  diem  for 
the  lot. 

Vanderweyer's  dog  has  a  litter  of  puppies  down  an 
old  warthog  hole  and  refuses  to  bring  them  up. 

Note:  The  steeper  the  hill  the  louder  the  porters  sing. 
Where  do  they  get  the  breath? 

Four  and  three-quarter  hours;  9I  miles;  elevation, 
6,300;  5:00  A.  M.,  50;  noon,  79;  night,  68. 

July  16. — Start  7:00.  Sky  overcast  and  cool. 
Marched  ahead  of  the  safari  through  the  forest  pass  of 
the  Narossara  Mountains  to  the  Fourth  Bench,  as  in 
191 1.*  Saw  many  Masai,  and  a  few  kongonis,  zebra, 
and  Robertsi.  Passed  the  Sacred  Tree  stuffed  full  of 
stones,  bunches  of  grass,  and  charms.  Memba  Sasa 
looked  a  little  ashamed — but  he  contributed .  D onkey s 
scrambled  up  the  hill  well. 

Vanderweyer  has  sent,  in  addition  to  the  twenty- 
five  donkeys  we  hired  of  him,  a  dozen  of  his  own  laden 
with  trade  goods  as  a  sort  of  flyer.  They  are  equipped 
with  the  native  soga.  This  is  a  padded  gunny  sacking 
strapped  about  the  animal's  body.  Tw^o  loads  of  potio 
are  sewn  together  and  thrown  across  this  pad.  There 
is  no  fastening;  they  ride  by  their  own  weight  and 
balance.  Even  in  level  country  they  are  apt  to  get  out 
of  balance  and  occasionally  to  fall  off;  but  on  hills  they 
are  hopeless.  It  takes  one  man  to  hold  a  donkey  and 
two  to  lift  on  the  load.     The  little  beasts  get  quite 

*See  "African  Camp  Fires." 


MASAI   GIRL   AND   MARRIED    WOMAN 
SEE  PACE  37 


MASAI    MARRIED    WUMAN 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  37 

expert,  not  at  deliberately  dumping  their  burdens, 
perhaps,  but  at  least  in  assisting  the  forces  of  gravity. 
Vanderweyer's  head  man  is  a  little  wrinkle-faced, 
baboon-like  Swahili,  named  Dowdi,  and  his  second  man 
a  very  airy  and  nonchalant  Wakamba.  The  whole  six 
certainly  earned  their  wages.  Driving,  yelling,  lifting 
loads,  they  seem  to  be  indulging  in  a  sort  of  stationary 
riot,  but  somehow  the  whole  mess  does  move  forward. 
For  an  ordinary  five  hours'  march  they  take  from 
eight  to  nine  hours,  however.  Now  that  our  own 
beasts  are  getting  accustomed  to  the  work,  they  come 
in  very  close  after  the  porters;  so  we  are  very  well 
pleased  with  our  American  pack-saddle  rig. 

Climbed  the  beautiful  forest  trail,  and  out  to  the 
bench.  Made  camp  just  where  in  191 1  we  turned  off 
to  our  Topi  Camp.*  Thousands  of  briUiant  butterflies 
fluttering  just  over  a  waterhole  made  a  pretty  sight. 
Many  Masai,  men  and  women,  visited  us.  I  had  a 
wonderful  success  with  simple  coin  tricks,  a  sword  cane 
George  Bachelder  had  presented  and  which  Ali  proudly 
carries  as  a  safari  stick,  an  old  opera  hat  Newland  gave 
us,  and  the  image  in  the  Graflex.  Tried  in  vain  to  buy 
spears,  but  was  offered  a  girl  of  fifteen — who  seemed 
pleased — for  three  rupees.  This  by  a  man  who  had 
seen  me — and  Mrs.  White — in  191 1.     Said  he  gravely: 

"You  did  not  bring  any  of  your  women  with  you  this 
time." 


*See  "African  Camp  Fires." 


H*y 


365047 


38  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Elevation,  7,200;  5:00  A.  M.,  58;  noon,  70;  night,  50. 

July  17. — Clear  before  dawn,  but  at  sunrise  a  heavy 
fog  descended.  Very  heavy  dew.  The  long  grass  im- 
mediately wet  us  to  the  waist. 

We  went  on  our  old  trail  of  191 1  as  far  as  the  first 
camp  on  the  side  hill;  then  instead  of  keeping  ahead 
crossed  directly  to  the  right  over  the  swamp.  I  looked 
for  signs  of  our  old  camp,  but  the  two  years  had  abso- 
lutely obliterated  every  trace.  While  waiting  for 
Cuninghame  and  the  donkeys  to  go  around  the  swamp, 
I  had  a  long  chat  with  two  old  Masai.  They  were 
quite  in  awe  of  the  keenness  and  temper  of  the  sword 
stick,  told  me  of  a  lion,  etc.  When  Cuninghame  ar- 
rived we  proceeded  on  down  the  side  of  the  swamp,  and 
reached  our  old  friend  Sendeu's  permanent  manyatta. 
It  was  located  on  an  elevation  above  the  swamp,  among 
forest  trees,  with  high  wooded  hills  at  its  back,  and  a 
magnificent  prospect  of  great  forests  a  mile  or  so  across 
the  way.  It  differed  from  the  usual  Masai  temporary 
village  in  that  it  was  strongly  stockaded,  with  large 
houses.  Another  similar  enclosure  fairly  adjoined  it, 
and  several  nearby  ordinary  manyattas  completed  the 
entourage  of  so  great  a  chief. 

We  marched  directly  through,  and  made  camp  in  the 
woods.  The  surroundings  and  outlook  were  beautiful; 
great  trees  and  vines,  and  vistas  out  through  them  of 
valleys  and  green  marshes  and  great  wooded  mountains 
all  around.     Our  camp  farthest  south  in  1 9 1 1  was  oppo- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  39 

site  and  about  two  miles  away.  I  could  make  out  the 
site  through  my  glasses. 

Many  very  gorgeous  warriors  in  full  panoply  visited 
us.  They  said  the  chief  was  sleeping.  More  likely 
drunk,  said  we,  remembering  him  of  old.  Of  course 
we  could  not  disturb  his  majesty,  so  had  to  wait  pa- 
tiently. 

As  he  had  not  showed  up  by  two  o'clock,  I  agreed 
to  climb  the  high  hills  at  the  back  (to  the  west)  and 
get  a  look  abroad  over  the  to  us  unknown  country 
through  which  we  must  go.  An  hour's  hard  climb  and 
I  gazed  out  over  a  tumble  of  lower  hills  ending  in  a 
sheer  rampart  of  great  mountains  about  fifteen  miles 
away.  At  first  glance  it  took  my  breath  away  and 
looked  absolutely  hopeless:  below  me  was  a  labyrinth 
and  against  me  was  a  wall.  Then  I  sat  down  with 
my  glasses,  prismatic  compass,  and  notebook  and 
carefully  took  stock.  There  seemed  to  be  two  possible 
passes,  and  I  noted  them  and  marked  them  by  land- 
marks. I  congratulated  myself  that  we  did  not  have 
to  work  through  that  on  our  own!  Of  course  the 
Masai  must  have  a  track  down  through,  and  I  remem- 
bered old  Sendeu's  cordial  friendliness  and  promises 
of  191 1.  He  would,  naturally,  supply  us  with  guides, 
and  we  would  go  down  sailing !  We  counted  on  getting 
through  in  about  five  days ! 

Saw  many  impalla,  zebra,  and  kongoni  in  the  brush 
on  the  mountainside,  like  so  many  California  deer,  a 


40  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

most  remarkable  habitat.  Shot  a  zebra  up  the  moun- 
tain at  237  yards,  and  a  buck  and  doe  impalla  at  close 
range  in  bush,  first  missing  a  doe. 

Returned  to  camp  to  find  Sendeu  and  his  court  just 
arrived.  Drink  has  made  him  very  flabby  and  puffy 
since  we  saw  him  last.  I  greeted  him  with  cordiality, 
but  to  my  surprise  found  him  surly,  taciturn,  and  un- 
friendly. To  our  questions  as  to  trails,  guides,  etc., 
he  replied  that  there  was  no  trail,  he  had  no  guides. 
He  said  barefacedly  that  he  did  not  remember  us;  he 
had  no  milk,  no  sheep.  Between  whiles  he  stared  at 
the  ground.  His  beautiful  warriors  were  plainly  un- 
easy. 

"Very  well,"  I  said  at  last,  "the  bwana  m'kubwa  has 
many  presents  for  those  that  help  him.  He  is  sorry 
you  cannot  help  him.  But  he  is  generous,  nevertheless; 
take  this  knife.     Good-bye." 

They  filed  out  sullenly.  Later  we  tried  through 
some  of  our  men  to  get  information  from  underlings, 
but  without  success,  except  that  we  learned  that  two 
Masai  from  the  German  side  were  at  that  moment  in 
another  manyatta  and  about  to  return!  Why  this 
change  of  front  we  could  not  at  that  time  make  out.* 

The  situation  was  rather  a  facer,  for  we  had  relied 
absolutely  on  Sendeu  to  get  through  this  difficult 

*  On  our  return  to  Nairobi  we  were  told  by  Vanderweyer  that  a  certain 
Englishman  and  an  Italian  baron  had  procured  guides  from  Sendeu.  These 
sportsmen  procured  lion,  elephant,  and  buffalo  within  two  weeks  and  came 
out;  but  as  they  alleged  some  cause  of  complaint  against  the  guides  they 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 


41 


jumble  of  country.  However,  we  agreed  to  tackle  it. 
In  former  years  I  had  done  a  good  deal  of  pioneer 
mountain  travel  with  animals,  and  believed  I  could  get 
through  by  observation  of  formations.  Cuninghame 
was  willing  to  try. 

Heard  lions  to-night. 

Five  hours;  11  miles;  elevation,  7,000;  morning,  40; 
noon,  70;  night,  58. 

refused  to  pay  the  stipulated  wages.  Hence  Sendeu's  hostility  to  ourselves. 
If  this  is  as  reported  it  is  a  remarkably  good  e.xample  of  how  not  to  handle 
natives.  The  sportsmen  had  been  guided,  had  procured  what  they  went 
after,  and  had  returned  in  a  short  time.  Therefore  they  owed  the  wages. 
If  they  had  any  cause  for  complaint  they  should  have  taken  the  matter  up 
with  Sendeu,  after  payment.  The  wages  go  to  Sendeu,  not  to  the  guides; 
and  Sendeu  had  done  his  part  of  the  bargain.  As  it  was  they  made  it  very 
difficult  for  the  ne.xt  white  men — ourselves.  As  will  be  seen,  we  not  only 
had  to  nose  a  way  through  very  difficult  country  at  great  expense  of  time 
and  energy,  but  we  early  got  into  tsetse  fly  that  could  have  been  avoided. 


CHAPTER  IV 

JxJLY  i8. — Started  very  early  over  the  high  hill  on 
which  I  hunted  the  day  before,  and  down  the  other 
side  into  the  welter  of  smaller  hills.  When  we  were 
halfway  down  two  Masai  with  arms  passed  us  on  a  run 
without  deigning  us  a  greeting.  Subsequent  experi- 
ence made  us  certain  that  these  were  at  once  spies  on 
us  to  see  w^hich  way  we  would  go  and  messengers  to 
warn  other  manyattas  to  give  us  no  information.  At 
the  bottom  of  the  hill  we  sent  Sanguiki  to  a  village  to 
try  to  find  out  something.  He  returned  to  tell  us  that 
the  Masai  were  kali  sana*  and  would  tell  nothing. 
Therefore  we  struck  along  the  top  of  a  likely  grass 
ridge  that  took  our  general  direction,  found  a  Masai 
trail  that  went  our  way,  and  jogged  on.  The  ridge, 
after  sLx  or  seven  miles,  ran  down  into  a  broad  grass 
ravine  that  led  to  a  small  river  flowing  along  the  base 
of  the  high  mountain  wall. 

We  were  amused  by  a  small  herd  of  zebra  that  kept 
just  ahead  of  us,  and  seemed  vastly  indignant  at  being 
repeatedly  driven  forward.  In  the  grass  swale  I 
jumped  seven  big  eland  at  about  fifty  yards — a  fine 
sight. 

*Very  fierce. 

42 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  43 

We  soon  discovered  that  the  banks  of  the  stream 
were  too  swampy  to  permit  us  to  cross,  so  we  went 
down  a  mile  or  so  and  camped.  After  lunch  Cuning- 
hame  and  I  with  four  men  set  out  to  scout  a  way.  I 
had  located  as  a  landmark  a  small  green  patch  on  the 
mountainside  below  the  possible  pass,  and  toward  this 
we  bent  our  energies.  We  found  a  ford — after  being 
scared  by  a  crashing  old  rhino  at  close  quarters — and 
ascended  the  mountain  toward  the  green  patch.  The 
way  proved  feasible  until  we  reached  a  round  elevated 
valley  below  the  final  rise  of  the  escarpment.  At 
this  point  we  found  a  spring  of  water  and  marked  it  on 
our  sketch  map.  A  herd  of  zebra  and  kongoni  were 
here.  I  killed  one  of  the  former,  after  one  miss,  with 
a  heart  shot  at  2  70  yards.  Leaving  the  men  to  attend 
to  him,  Cuninghame  and  I  toiled  directly  up  the  pre- 
cipitous side  hill  to  the  summit.  Here  we  got  an  ex- 
tensive view  of  a  wild  tumble  of  hills  that  looked 
impracticable,  but  could  see  plainly  below  us  and  to  the 
the  west  a  feasible  pass  to  a  stream  on  the  other  side  of 
the  ridge.  Also  across  the  way  another  water,  with  a 
great  concourse  of  baboons  sitting  around  it.  Quite 
satisfied  for  the  moment,  we  named  it  Gilbert  Pass  in 
honour  of  my  brother's  birthday. 

The  long  tramp  brought  us  back  to  camp  at  dusk. 
Wonderful  moon,  and  very  chilly  night. 

M'ganga  back  from  another  Masai  village  with  no 
news  except  that  the  runners  had  been  there  warning 


44  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

them  to  give  no  information.  Sendeu's  animosity  seems 
complete. 

Safari,  three  hours;  8  miles.  We  in  addition,  five 
hours;  lo  to  12  miles;  elevation,  6,300;  morning,  48; 
noon,  72;  night,  48. 

July  19. — Over  Gilbert  Pass  to  the  stream,  and  then 
downstream  for  some  distance  over  an  old  Masai  trail 
in  a  narrow  valley  between  mighty  mountains.  A 
honey  bird  followed  us  for  over  an  hour  beseeching  us 
to  turn  aside,  and  then  flew  away  in  disgust  at  our 
stupidity.  Saw  duiker,  reedbuck,  kongoni,  zebra, 
eland,  warthog,  and  mongoose.  The  trail  ended  in  a 
small  round  valley  and  a  salt  lick.  Shot  a  Chanler's 
reedbuck  standing  by  the  lick  at  94  yards. 

The  situation  here  is  wonderful,  great  frowning  peaks 
and  mountains  over  the  way ;  narrow  caiions  and  valleys, 
forest  caps  and  groves  here  and  there  on  the  steeps, 
all  very  austere  and  grand. 

After  lunch  Cuninghame  and  I  took  up  our  regular 
job  of  scouting.  The  river  here  entered  a  deep  narrow 
rock  gorge,  so  we  spent  much  toil  in  ascending  the  hill 
to  the  left  of  it,  whence  we  looked  out  over  so  tumbled 
and  broken  a  country  that  we  immediately  gave  up 
going  south  and  returned  for  a  cast  to  westward. 
River  here  quite  big,  and  we  forded  up  to  our  waists. 
For  some  time  we  had  no  luck  in  getting  through  the 
westward  hills  on  account  of  dense  forest,  but  finally 
discovered  a  game  trail  that  led  us  through  the  woods 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  45 

and  up  over  a  low  pass  to  look  abroad  on  so  beautiful  a 
wide  shallow  grass  valley  dotted  with  groves  that  we 
named  it  Pleasant  Valley.  Here  we  saw  a  few  head 
of  game,  including  some  eland.  Cuninghame  cHmbed 
the  south  ridge  of  Pleasant  Valley  and  reported  preci- 
pices. Therefore  our  only  possible  course  must  be 
down  the  valley.  We  must  take  our  luck  at  the  lower 
end.     Got  in  at  sundown. 

At  midnight  two  rhinos  from  the  salt  Hck  blundered 
into  the  edge  of  camp.  Great  excitement  and  row, 
and  we  had  to  turn  out  to  scare  them  off. 

Safari,  five  hours;  1 1 J  miles.  We  did  in  addition  four 
hours;  about  9  miles;  elevation,  6,200;  morning,  38; 
noon,  72 ;  night,  58.  Coldest  morning  I  have  ever  seen 
in  Africa. 

July  20. — Marched  up  through  our  forest  pass  and 
on  to  lower  end  of  Pleasant  Valley.  There  we  squatted 
the  safari,  and  Cuninghame  and  I  each  went  in  for  a 
long  hunt  for  a  way  out  of  the  cup.  Each  found  a 
feasible  route.  Surmounted  the  ridge  that  hemmed  in 
the  valley  and  looked  out  upon  another  very  big  oval 
valley  filled  with  thorn  scrub.  It  was  completely 
surrounded  by  another  high  rampart,  with  only  an 
apparent  narrow  break  where  a  river  went  through 
about  six  miles  distant  and  at  the  lower  end. 

Headed  for  that.  Hard  travel  over  rough  country 
in  high  grass  and  thorns  that  tore  at  us  eagerly.  At 
the  lower  end  of  the  valley  we  marched  high  above  a 


46  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

canon  for  a  couple  of  miles,  then  camped  below  two 
enormous  peaks,  one  of  which  we  named  Mount  Bell- 
field  in  honour  of  the  present  governor  of  British  East 
Africa.  We  are  now  in  the  heart  of  the  range,  and 
accept  with  thankfulness  each  mile  vouchsafed  us.  A 
narrow  forest  bordered  a  stream  of  beautiful  clear 
water.  Never  have  I  seen  so  marvellous  a  display  of 
curtain  vines  and  gorgeous  flowering  trees. 

Six  hours;  13  miles;  elevation,  5,800;  morning,  49; 
noon,  84;  night,  58. 

July  21. — The  outlook  was  now  so  very  uncertain 
that  Cuninghame  and  I  scouted  ahead  before  breaking 
camp  at  all.  Enormous  rugged  mountains  compassed 
us  about,  and  we  feared  the  river  would  end  in  an  im- 
passable gorge.  We  took  a  rhino  track  that  speedily 
led  us  into  a  caiion  bed  with  a  wonderful  forest  of  great 
trees,  looped  snaky  vines,  lacy  underbrush,  tree  ferns? 
and  flowering  bushes.  There  were  many  baboons 
and  monkeys  swinging  about.  The  sun  rarely  pene- 
trated. Great  rock  clififs  towered  at  either  hand,  and 
the  clear  stream  dashed  down  cataracts  and  waterfalls 
among  the  boulders. 

The  rhino  track  led  true  for  some  distance,  then 
petered  out  to  a  monkey  trail  and  ended  in  a  gorge. 
There  was  evidently  no  further  way  down  the  stream 
bed.  If  we  were  to  win  through,  it  must  be  by  way  of 
the  steeps  on  either  hand.  Therefore  I  tackled  the 
slope  to  the  right,  while  Cuninghame  took  the  other. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  47 

By  dint  of  crawling,  climbing  straight  up,  and  worming 
my  way,  I  gained  the  top  of  a  ridge  and  most  unex- 
pectedly found  it  to  be  a  spur,  or  "hogsback"  between 
our  stream  and  another  flowing  into  it  some  distance 
below.  Followed  the  ridge  until  I  found  it  did  not 
"jump  off"  at  the  end,  then  returned  and  shouted  for 
Cuninghame.  He  scrambled  up,  and  together  we  set 
to  find  a  practicable  back  way  down  to  the  level  of  our 
stream.     Found  a  blessed — but  disused — rhino  trail. 

Cuninghame  returned  for  men.  When  they  arrived, 
he  and  I  each  took  charge  of  a  squad  with  axes  and 
pangas*  and  slowly  we  hewed  out  a  good  path.  We 
landed  finally  at  a  grove  of  trees  near  the  junction  of 
the  two  streams  and  sent  the  men  back  to  get  camp. 
Sufficient  unto  the  moment  was  the  progress  thereof. 
We  were  farther  along,  but  apparently  not  much  better 
off,  for  our  river  here  plunged  into  another  gorge  flanked 
with  high  cliffs.  A  wide  valley  led  to  a  mountain  range 
to  the  left.  Evidently  we  were  in  for  another  climb 
somewhere,  the  only  question  was  as  to  which  made 
the  best  climb.  Cuninghame  agreed  to  tackle  the 
range  near  the  gorge,  while  I  explored  the  valley. 

Went  up  about  three  miles  to  where  I  could  see  that 
it  ended  in  a  cul-de-sac.  Returning,  turned  aside  to 
stalk  a  bull  eland — absolutely  the  only  game  seen  for 
two  days — and  found  a  concealed  narrow  tributary 
valley  that  led  to  a  possible  pass.     Very  hot. 

*  Panga — a  sort  of  universal  tool  something  like  a  machete. 


48  THE  REDISCOVERED   COUNTRY 

At  camp  found  that  Cuninghame  had  hit  on  my  same 
route  from  above.  The  chffs  opposite  are  hung  with 
traihng  rope-Hke  cactus,  and  inhabited  by  many  ba- 
boons. 

Made  only  4  miles,  but  walked  nine  and  a  half  hours; 
elevation, 5, 400;  morning,  50;  noon,  88;  night,  57. 

July  22. — Started  the  day  with  a  terrific  cHmb,  almost 
straight  up  to  the  summit  of  the  ridge.  The  footing 
was  very  bad  and  it  made  very  sweaty  hard  work  for 
men  and  beasts.  Got  there  finally.  Very  fine  view 
back  over  the  way  we  have  come.  Wondered  how  we 
ever  got  through.  From  above  it  looks  absolutely 
hopeless.     This  looks  like  the  top. 

From  here  south  the  ranges  get  smaller,  so  that  we 
can  look  out  over  lesser  and  lesser  systems  until  far 
away  we  could  guess  at  the  brown  of  plains.  Men  fairly 
cheered  at  the  sight  of  the  latter.  But  it  looked  like  a 
puzzler  to  get  down  there.  Our  river  has  hopelessly 
plunged  somewhere  off  to  the  right,  leaving  us  marooned 
in  the  high  country,  and  the  ridges  and  canons  seemed 
to  be  heavily  grown  with  a  kind  of  chaparral  and  to 
have  no  order  or  system  or  open  passes.  Far  away  to 
the  south  we  dimly  made  out  two  enormous  craters 
that  must  be  upward  of  12,000  feet  high. 

However,  across  the  shallow  canon  head  that  ran 
up  from  the  profundities  of  the  river,  and  in  the  next 
transverse  ridge,  was  a  notch  opposite,  so  we  made  for 
that.     From  its  saddle  we  saw  another  small  valley, 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  49 

and  beyond  that  another  notch.  We  descended  into 
the  valley.  Very  hot.  As  we  had  no  idea  how  far 
back  the  donkeys  might  be,  Cuninghame  took  a  twist 
to  the  right,  and  shortly  whistled  us  down  to  him.  At 
the  foot  of  the  valley  stood  a  single  shady  tree,  with 
big  smooth  trunk,  great  buttressed  roots,  broad  leaves, 
and  a  small  fruit.  It  was  big  limbed  and  broad,  and 
just  beyond  it  was  a  waterhole  of  mud  and  little  pools 
forty  or  fifty  feet  broad.  This  was  enclosed  with  a 
low  thorn  boifia,  and  at  a  dozen  openings  left  for  the 
purpose  tall  saplings  had  been  planted  and  bent  over 
by  means  of  well-made  native  sisal  rope.  Buried 
loops  were  to  be  sprung  by  the  animals  that  entered. 
What  they  could  be  we  could  not  imagine  as  there  were 
no  signs  of  game — probably  stray  reedbuck.  However, 
it  was  encouraging  to  find  this  first  sign  of  life  in  the 
new  country.  It  must  be  inhabited  by  somebody,  even 
though  they  might  be  only  wild  Wanderobo  hunters. 
In  the  tree  was  a  beehive  made  of  a  section  of  a  hollow 
log  bound  all  round  with  faggot-like  sticks.  Why  the 
latter  we  were  unable  to  find  out.  They  seemed  to 
subserve  no  useful  purpose,  but  may  have  been  of 
religious  significance. 

We  sprung  all  the  snares,  and  made  camp  beneath 
the  tree.  In  the  afternoon  Cuninghame  and  I  made  a 
very  high,  hot  climb  through  the  second  notch;  found 
it  led  nowhere;  cast  about;  and  finally  came  on  a  long 
hogsback  that  led  gently  down  two  miles  to  end  abruptly. 


50  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

We  looked  straight  down  on  another  scrub-grown  valley 
with  some  queer  rounded  rock  outcrops  a  hundred  feet 
or  so  in  height.  The  descent  was  sheer,  but  it  was 
the  only  way  to  a  lower  elevation  so  we  figured  out 
zigzags.  Over  opposite  lay  another  big  black  range, 
but  around  its  lower  end  our  river  broke  through  a 
notch.  We  figured  we  would  either  go  through  the 
notch  or  climb  the  range  as  the  case  might  be;  and  so 
returned  to  camp  pretty  tired.  Cheered  by  the  sight 
of  a  dozen  kongoni  and  three  Chanler's  reedbuck  atop 
the  hogsback.  Missed  a  shot  at  one  of  the  latter  as 
he  flew. 

Five  hours'  march,  four  hours'  scout;  6i  miles;  eleva- 
tion, 5,900;  morning,  48;  noon,  78;  night,  54. 

July  23. — Start  at  6:40.  We  got  down  the  length 
of  the  hogsback  all  right,  but  the  descent  of  the  zigzags 
proved  to  be  a  terror  for  men,  and  especially  for  don- 
keys. The  last  of  Dowdi's  did  not  get  in  until  6  :oo  p.  m.  ! 
Once  down,  we  crossed  the  elevated  little  valley  by  the 
rocks,  and  found  ourselves  in  face  of  another  lesser 
drop.  Thornbush  very  bad,  so  that  we  moved  a 
hundred  feet  at  a  time  and  our  clothes  and  skin  suffered. 
For  a  long  time  it  seemed  that  we  were  "bushed,"  but 
at  last  I  found  a  rhino  trail  down.  It  was  very  thorny 
and  overgrown.  The  men  dropped  their  packs  and 
set  to  work  with  pangas  and  axes  and  finally  cleared  a 
trail. 

Cuninghame  and  I  then  pushed   ahead.     We   de- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  51 

scended  the  hill,  crossed  a  ravine,  and  soon  found  our- 
selves on  the  banks  of  a  fine  river.  A  shady  thicket 
and  great  trees  ran  alongside,  elephant  grass  reached 
ten  feet  above  our  heads.  We  followed  the  rhino  trails 
downstream,  and  after  some  search  discovered  a  ford. 
Here  we  sat  down  and  took  a  rest. 

After  consultation  Cuninghame  remained  to  place 
camp  and  cross  the  animals  while  I  pushed  ahead  as 
rapidly  as  possible  to  scout  out  a  way  through  the  scrub 
to  the  end  of  the  range,  and  to  find  out  whether  we  could 
follow  the  river  or  would  have  to  make  another  climb. 

I  soon  discovered  difficulties :  in  the  first  place,  to  get 
a  feasible  path  through  the  terrific  jungle  of  thorn  and 
scrub,  and,  in  the  second  place,  to  dodge  rhinos.  The 
valley  was  about  five  miles  by  three,  grown  ten  feet 
high  by  a  thorny  jungle,  and  literally  infested  by  the 
beasts.  Their  broad,  well-beaten  trails  went  every- 
where. These  were  a  help,  but  there  was  always  a 
doubt  as  to  whether  their  rightful  owners  might  not 
want  to  use  them.  I  went  along  singing  at  the  top  of  my 
voice  all  the  songs  I  knew,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
close  heat  of  the  thicket  and  the  powerful  sun  were  not 
conducive  to  vocals.  After  about  a  mile  of  this  a  huge 
bulk  reared  itself  not  over  fifteen  yards  ahead,  snorted, 
and  rushed  down  the  trail  toward  me.  I  literally  could 
not  force  myself  a  foot'into  the  wall  of  thorns,  so  brought 
the  Springfield  into  action  and  fired  at  its  head.  The 
beast  stopped  five  yards  from  me,  and  turned  square 


52  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

across  the  trail.  In  perhaps  ten  seconds  he  showed 
signs  of  swinging  back.  I,  who  was  much  on  the  alert 
for  any  move,  gave  him  one  in  the  shoulder.  This 
decided  him .     He  turned  away  around  and  disappeared . 

After  a  decent  interval  I  followed  him.  At  last  I 
reached  the  point  where  the  range  met  the  river.  A 
cliff  only  twenty  feet  across  reaching  down  to  deep 
water  seemed  to  bar  the  route,  though  the  approach 
on  both  sides  was  good.     It  was  impossible  to  ford. 

Rested  ten  minutes,  and  returned  to  camp,  blazing 
a  way  with  my  hunting  knife  as  I  went.  Saw  one 
bushbuck,  the  only  game.  Got  in  at  sundown,  and 
drank  one  quart  of  tea  all  at  once.  Quite  weary. 
Last  February  I  broke  my  leg  badly,  and  the  hard 
work  is  beginning  to  bother  it. 

During  the  evening  two  rhinos  tried  to  enter  camp, 
but  we  scared  them  off  with  our  Colt's  and  firebrands. 

March  six  hours;  8  miles;  scout,  five  hours;  eleva- 
tion, 4,200;  morning,  48;  noon,  86;  night,  68. 

July  24. — Marched  by  my  blazes  to  bend  of  river. 
Here  to  our  delight  we  found  a  monkey  trail  leading  up 
the  face  of  the  cliff  and  around  a  sort  of  concealed 
ledge.  A  half  hour's  work  widened  it  so  we  could  lead 
the  animals  one  at  a  time  around  the  forty  feet  of 
cliffs. 

On  the  other  side  we  found  ourselves  in  a  wide  canon 
hemmed  in  by  low  and  diminishing  hills,  and  thickly 
grown  in  the  bottoms  with  dense  thorn  scrub.     The 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  53 

river  wound  from  side  to  side  leaving  a  flat,  first  to  right, 
then  to  left.  This  meant  finding  a  ford  every  mile  or  so, 
and  getting  the  donkeys  through  it — no  small  task,  as 
they  remembered  their  former  experience  and  did  not 
care  for  water  at  all,  at  all !  We  were  alternately  wet 
to  the  waist  and  baked  by  the  furnace  heat.  When 
we  had  had  enough  we  camped  in  the  scrub. 

Five  hours  thirty-five  minutes;  6  miles;  elevation, 
3,800;  morning,  50;  noon,  90;  night,  58. 

July  25. — Resumed  the  struggle  without  the  slightest 
idea  of  how  much  longer  we  were  to  keep  at  it.  There 
were  no  especial  indications  that  the  character  of  the 
country  would  change.  We  kept  bucking  thornbush 
across  the  flats  until  we  were  forced  by  the  bend  of  the 
stream  to  ford;  then  we  repeated  the  performance  on 
the  other  side.  This  kept  up  for  four  hours.  Then 
at  one  of  the  bends,  instead  of  the  usual  f  ordable  shallow 
rapids,  we  found  a  crude  dam  made  of  woven  saplings 
and  earth.  First  signs  of  settled  human  habitation  on 
this  side  of  the  mountains. 

A  friendly  native — the  first  human  being  in  the  New 
Country — appeared  on  the  opposite  side  and  shouted 
at  us.  Since  he  seemed  to  know  of  no  way  of  crossing 
to  his  side,  I  struck  off  to  the  left,  soon  found  a  rhino 
trail  along  the  hills,  and  signalled  the  men  to  come  on. 
Across  the  river  I  saw  from  my  elevation  bananas  and 
other  signs  of  cultivation.  Without  waiting  for  the 
safari,  I  pushed  on  ahead,  blazing  a  way.     It  was  hard, 


54  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

exasperating,  hot  work.  About  two  miles  down  I 
struggled  through  a  particularly  dense  thicket — and 
came  out  plop!  on  an  old  bean  field  and  easy  walking! 
The  mountains  had  let  go  of  us  at  last ! 

It  certainly  felt  good  to  stride  out  upright  and  un- 
impeded by  thorns  or  hills  or  both.  We  went  down 
the  old  bean  field,  crossed  the  river  again,  and  struck 
across  another  bean  field.  High  up  on  the  side  of  the 
mountain  we  finally  made  out  a  native  village;  its 
scattered  roofs  so  much  like  the  gray  rocks  about  them 
that  for  a  long  time  none  of  us  distinguished  them. 
Here  an  old  man  met  us,  and  signalled  us  to  follow  him. 
He  turned  at  right  angles  through  the  field  out  onto  a 
broad  path,  led  us  past  a  second  dam,  and  up  to  a  little 
open  patch  among  the  scrub.  Here  were  some  trees. 
He  seemed  to  think  that  a  good  place  for  us  to  camp. 
We  agreed  with  him;  in  the  first  place,  because  we  were 
tired,  and,  in  the  second  place,  because  we  wanted  to 
get  into  communication  with  his  people. 

A  half  hour's  work  cleared  us  a  shady  room  in  the 
thicket,  surrounded  by  a  thorn  homa.  By  this  time  a 
dozen  savages  were  in  camp.  They  call  themselves  the 
Wasonzi  and  are  unacquainted  with  whites.  They 
resemble  the  Kikuyus  somewhat,  only  they  are  better 
built,  wear  a  negligent  skin  around  the  shoulder,  and 
are  armed  exclusively  with  bows  and  arrows  and  short 
swords.  Their  expression  is  alert  and  intelligent,  and 
they  are  most  eager  to  be  friendly  and  answer  all  our 


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CURTAIN  VINES    IN   THE   CANON   NEAR   MT.   BELLFIKLD 
SEE   PAGE   46 


THE   WASONZI  VILLAGE   NEAR   OL-SAMBU.      AT   A   \  ERV   MIUKl    inSTANCE 

THE   HUTS    RESEMBLE    BOULDERS 

SEE  PAOE   54 


WASONZI   HUT   WITH   FORTIFIED   DOORWAY 


GUIDES   FROM   THE    WASONZI 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  55 

questions.  Their  ear  ornaments  are  cylinders  of  red 
clay,  polished,  in  which  have  been  imbedded  scraps  of 
bright  wire.  The  whole  is  moulded  around  the  lower 
periphery  of  the  stretched  lobe,  and  so  can  never  be  re- 
moved without  breaking.  The  bows  are  short  and 
powerful,  the  arrows  broadly  headed,  andwiththe  poison 
smeared  in  back  of  the  head.  They  told  us  they  ap- 
proached game  by  feeding  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats 
toward  the  quarry,  accompanying  the  flocks  on  aU  fours. 
Their  dams  they  use  for  irrigation;  and  later  we  found 
an  elaborate  S3^stem  of  checks  and  ditches  with  wicker 
and  earth  gates.  In  their  fields  they  raise  rape,  beans, 
and  tobacco  beside  a  sort  of  sweet  potato  and  a  veg- 
etable somewhat  like  squash.  In  times  past  they  have 
been  victims  of  slave  raiders  from  Tabora  and  Ikoma, 
and  have  been  much  attacked  by  the  Masai ;  hence  they 
build  high  up  the  mountain  whence  they  descend  to 
their  fields,  and  whither  every  drop  of  water  is  carried 
in  gourds! 

We  told  them  slave  days  were  over  and  the  Masai 
moved  away;  why  did  not  they  build  now  in  a  more 
convenient  place?  They  shook  their  heads.  After 
all,  what  is  ten  years  of  peace  after  two  hundred  of 
war? 

There  is  another  village  three  days  to  the  south;  and 
one  four  hours  to  the  west ;  that  is  the  whole  remnant  of 
the  tribe. 

We  engaged  two  to  guide  us  to  Lake  Natron  at  an 


56  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

equivalent  of  two  rupees  (66  cents)  each  (about  ten 
days  in  all). 

Also  we  sent  a  present  of  a  blanket  to  the  chief  with 
a  request  that  he  call  to  see  us.  All  this  through 
M  'ganga  who  talks  their  tongue. 

We  did  a  little  trading  with  beads  and  snufif  for  vege- 
tables. Gillette  blades  don 't  go  here.*  As  we  wanted 
meat  badly,  our  guides  then  took  us  a  long  hike  over 
the  hills  to  a  long  slope  of  grass  and  scattered  bush 
where  we  saw  one  lonesome  little  herd  of  kongoni,  one 
of  zebra,  and  a  single  duiker.  These  beasts  departed  the 
very  instant  they  caught  sight  of  us  at  300  or  400  yards, 
and  never  even  turned  back  to  look.  So  we  are  still 
meatless. 

M 'ganga  and  two  of  the  men  have  fever;  the  first 
fever  of  the  trip. 

Five  hours  twenty  minutes;  4J  miles;  morning,  53; 
noon,  92;  night,  68. 

*  Old  Gillette  razor  blades  are  in  some  places  greatly  in  demand.  They 
are  inserted  in  cleft  sticks  and  used  for  shaving  the  head.  This  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  when  one  considers  that  a  common  implement  for  that  pur- 
pose is  a  bit  of  broken  glass! 


CHAPTER   V 

July  26. — We  here  left  all  the  donkeys,  our  own  and 
Vanderweyer's  (together  with  our  surplus  effects),  in 
homa  until  our  return  from  Natron,  and  started  off  with 
men  only.  The  guides  were  on  time  at  6  :oo,  and  before 
we  had  gone  a  mile  three  others  had  joined  us.  One 
beautiful  little  savage  had  in  our  honour  donned  a 
horrible  greasy  old  patched  khaki  suit  eight  sizes  too 
large  for  him.  He  had  been  once  to  Moschi,  he  proudly 
explained.  He  certainly  looked  like  a  scarecrow.  The 
other  three,  they  told  us,  would  not  expect  wages  but 
would  go  along  for  meat. 

We  rode  our  mules  for  two  hours  then  sent  them  back. 
This,  although  we  did  not  know  it,  was  our  last  ride 
on  those  unfortunate  animals.  In  all  we  have  used 
the  mules  only  about  twenty-five  miles.  The  rest  of 
the  time  the  country  has  been  too  rough,  or  we  have 
had  to  scout  afoot. 

Marched  along  the  base  of  high  mountains,  to  the 
left,  on  a  plateau  of  high  grass  and  thin  scrub.  Far  to 
the  south,  over  the  edge  of  the  world,  we  could  see 
immense  craters.  They  were  forty  or  fifty  miles  away 
and  glittered  as  though  with  snow,  each  rising  by  itself 
from  the  plain. 

57 


58  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

At  the  end  of  ten  miles  we  approached  the  edge  of  the 
escarpment,  and  the  last  water  before  the  plunge. 
Therefore,  I  turned  off  to  see  if  it  were  possible  to  land 
any  meat.  It  had  been  in  the  dark  ages  past  since 
either  we  or  the  men  had  had  any,  and  one  cannot  work 
long,  even  under  the  equator,  for  ten  or  twelve  hours 
a  day  without  meat  and  plenty  of  it. 

All  the  game  here  was  very  wild.  It  saw  us  a  long 
way  off  and  immediately  ran  without  waiting  to  stare 
for  an  instant  as  does  even  the  wildest  game  anywhere 
else.  We  finally  hit  on  the  reason:  The  Wasonzi  are 
great  on  snares  for  small  stuff,  and  probably  every  head 
of  large  game  in  the  district  has  at  one  time  or  another 
been  caught  and  had  to  kick  out  of  one  of  these  snares. 
That  was  no  great  job,  of  course,  but  it  made  them  very 
distrustful. 

At  last  I  took  a  desperate  chance  at  a  zebra  just 
topping  a  ridge  450  to  500  yards  away  and  hit  him! 
Lost  him  for  the  time  being,  but  on  returning  from  a 
search  got,  by  chance,  the  herd  so  fixed  that  they  had 
to  run  past,  between  me  and  a  rocky  butte  100  yards 
away.  How  they  did  run,  like  runaway  horses!  I 
saw  my  wounded  beast  and  hit  him  again.  He  slowed, 
so  turned  my  attention  from  him  and  landed  a  second 
zebra  in  the  ribs.  Had  to  aim  ahead  twice  the  length 
of  the  animals.  Followed  them  up  and  killed  both 
with  four  more  shots,  of  which  one  was  a  miss.  Just 
then  blundered  on  a  kongoni  that  had  not  expected  me 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  59 

and  quickly  downed  him  with  a  shoulder  shot  at  160 
yards  before  he  made  off.  Left  a  savage  at  each  carcass 
hunted  up  camp,  and  sent  out  men  for  the  meat.  No 
one  can  imagine  what  a  godsend  those  three  beasts  were 
to  us  at  that  time.  We  had  plenty  of  potio  and  plain 
groceries,  of  course,  but  had  been  almost  completely 
out  of  meat  for  some  time.  Under  the  hard  work  we 
were  beginning  to  feel  it.  Also  we  wanted  desperately 
to  make  our  reputation  as  good  providers  with  the 
savages.  For  some  time  we  have  had  a  very  silent, 
not  to  say  glum,  camp  in  the  evenings.  To-night  racks 
are  up  drying  meat,  spits  are  up  roasting  it,  pots  bubble, 
bright  little  fires  gleam,  and  a  continuous  chanting 
arises. 

This  happy  kalele,  which  I  had  not  the  heart  to  stop, 
and  the  hot  night,  kept  me  awake  for  an  hour.  Sud- 
denly I  heard  a  scurrying  outside  and  agonized  calls 
for"AU!    Ah!" 

''Nini,"  says  Ali. 

"  Call  the  bwana,  a  rhinoceros  is  very  near  and  coming 
into  camp!" 

Get  the  point?  Even  a  rhino  attack  was  not  enough 
to  get  them  to  overstep  etiquette  and  call  the  bwana 
themselves!  I  hopped  out  with  a  Colt's.  Once  beyond 
the  dazzle  of  the  fire  I  could  make  out  the  great  black 
mass  advancing  steadily  and  about  tw^enty-five  yards 
away.  I  fired  over  its  head.  The  flash  and  noise 
turned  it.     Another  shot  sent  it  crashing  away. 


6o  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Elevation,  4,250;  four  hours  thirty  minutes;  10 j 
miles;  morning,  59;  noon,  80;  night,  70. 

July  27. — An  hour  took  us  to  the  edge  of  the  escarp- 
ment, and  we  looked  almost  straight  down  2,300  feet 
to  the  broad  lower  expanse  in  which  lay  Natron.  It 
extended  farther  than  we  could  see  to  the  south.  Its 
upper  end  was  guarded  by  two  great  lava  mountains 
(about  eight  miles  apart)  with  faces  that  ran  almost 
sheer  for  more  than  4,000  feet.  The  upper  flats  for 
miles  and  miles  shimmered  white  with  soda.  A  green 
line  marked  the  meanderings  of  the  N'gouramani,  and 
the  nearer  flats  were  covered  with  scrub.  The  distance 
melted  into  illimitable  plains.  To  our  right  was  a  deep- 
riven  canon  to  the  edge  of  which  our  guides  led  us  for 
a  look. 

After  admiring  the  grandeurs  and  blue  distances  of 
this  very  impressive  scenery  we  commenced  the  descent. 
It  was  by  way  of  a  very  steep  little  spur  jutting  from 
the  main  escarpment,  and  went  almost  straight  down 
by  a  series  of  zigzags.  Two  rhinos  across  a  ravine 
stared  at  us  and  we  at  them.  We  were  each  safe  from 
the  other.  Hard  descent  for  men.  Everybody  happy, 
however,  because  carrying  meat.  The  guides,  Cuning- 
hame,  myself,  and  gunbearers  pushed  ahead.  I  have, 
to  the  great  delight  of  everybody,  introduced  the  ex- 
pedient of  blazing  trails,  in  order  to  keep  various  divi- 
sions in  touch.     They  knew  nothing  of  it  before. 

Sweltering  hot,  and  sun  very  strong.     In  the  lower 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  6i 

scrub  it  was  fearful.  We  debouched  on  the  flat  at  ten 
o'clock.  Very  glad  to  ease  our  knees.  Marched  an 
hour  longer  and  came  at  eleven  o'clock  to  an  ordinary 
mudpuddle  in  an  opening  of  the  scrub.  The  guide 
said  it  was  the  only  water  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
Many  zebra,  wildebeeste,  and  impalla,  and  hundreds  of 
game  and  other  birds  were  here  gathered.  Since  we 
must  either  camp  here  or  push  on  to  the  N'gouramani, 
Cuninghame  and  I  crawled  under  the  shade  of  a  bush 
to  await  the  safari. 

One  sort  of  small  brown  bird  with  a  very  long  tail  were 
so  abundant  that  when  they  flew  they  roared  like  the 
wind,  and  the  aggregate  weight  of  them  actually  bent 
over  a  fair-sized  sapling.     This  is  literal. 

When  the  safari  arrived  we  tackled  the  mudpuddle. 
First,  we  dug  a  ditch  and  drained  off  all  the  foul  water. 
Then  we  extended  the  hole.  This  accomplished, 
MembaSasa  planted  a  staff  in  the  middle  tied  peculiarly 
with  wisps  of  grass — a  sort  of  magic,  in  which,  appar- 
ently, everybody  firmly  believed.  In  a  little  while 
the  hole  began  to  fill  again.  Overjoyed  with  this  indi- 
cation that  it  was  a  real  spring  and  not  merely  a  rain 
puddle,  we  pitched  camp. 

After  lunch  and  a  rest  Cuninghame  and  I  scouted  in 
different  directions.  I  wounded  an  impalla  which  got 
away;  the  second  beast  to  escape.  Saw  many  impalla, 
zebra,  wildebeeste,  waterbuck,  Grant's  gazelle,  dik-dik, 
and  game  birds.    Also  an  ostrich  nest  with  two  eggs. 


62  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Wandered  widely,  always  in  the  thorn  scrub,  and  to- 
ward evening  came  out  on  coarse  grass  savannahs  near 
the  head  of  the  lake ;  and  there  enjoyed  some  marvellous 
mirage  effects  on  game,  on  the  flat,  and  on  distant 
mountains.  Here  fed  a  herd  of  zebra  one  of  which  I 
killed  at  256  yards  to  the  huge  delight  of  the  natives. 
They  use  every  scrap  of  a  beast,  even  to  the  sinews  for 
bowstrings,  and  were  much  chagrined  that  I  would  not 
shoot  another  before  the  herd  got  out  of  range.  They 
are  a  cheerful,  friendly  lot.  In  camp,  Cuninghame 
reported  that  he  had  gone  out  on  the  flat,  and  had  there 
found  buffalo  tracks.  We  decided  to  cross  the  head 
of  the  lake  to  where  the  N'gouramani  empties  into  it 
in  the  hopes  of  one  of  the  beasts. 

This  evening  the  little  fires  down  the  length  of  our 
tiny  glade,  the  light  reflected  from  the  leaves,  were  very 
fine. 

Five  hours;  9 J  miles;  elevation,  1,950;  morning,  63; 
noon,  93;  night,  83. 

July  28. — Up  at  daylight.  Leaving  the  bulk  of  our 
goods  and  some  of  the  men,  we  marched  across  the  soda 
flats  at  the  head  of  the  lake.  The  whole  surface  looked 
like  a  map  of  the  moon,  mountains,  craters,  queer  knife- 
edged  peaks,  all  in  a  miniature  of  four  inches  high. 
When  we  stepped  on  them  they  collapsed  with  a  loud 
crackling.  Distances  were  very  deceitful.  An  object 
might  be  a  mile  away  or  ten  yards,  and  you  could  not 
tell  what  it  was.    A  herd  of  zebra  looked  like  an  orange 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  63 

grove  until  we  came  close.  But  the  most  wonderful 
sight — one  of  the  most  wonderful  I  have  ever  seen — 
was  that  furnished  by  a  huge  flock  of  flamingoes. 
There  must  have  been  thousands  upon  thousands  of 
them.  When  we  first  saw  them,  they  were  far  in  the 
distance  and  flying.  We  took  them  for  a  rosy  sunrise 
cloud.  They  looked  just  like  that :  one  of  those  cotton- 
wool clouds — the  cotton-wool  that  comes  in  jewellers' 
boxes.  We  did  not  find  out  our  mistake  for  some  few 
minutes.  Then  the  cloud  miraculously  dropped  to  the 
edge  of  the  water,  and  the  shore  turned  pink  for  miles. 
This  is  not  an  argument  for  protective  coloration. 
There  is  a  lot  more  in  that  theory  than  its  sternest 
critics  seem  ready  to  admit;  but  much  less  than  its 
most  violent  partisans  claim.  Any  feeder  on  flamingoes 
(what  does  feed  on  flamingoes,  by  the  way?)  in  our 
position  might,  as  we  did,  temporarily  mistake  them  for 
a  pink  cloud.  But  any  carnivore  or  raptore  at  a  closer 
range  could  not  possibly  do  so;  nor  could  he  long  con- 
tinue to  do  so  even  from  where  we  stood.  And  a 
carnivore  or  raptore  that  did  not  stir  around  enough  to 
discover  in  a  very  short  time  what  that  pink  cloud  was 
composed  of  would  deserve  to  starve.  It  is  inconceiv- 
able nonsense  to  believe  that  several  hundred  thousand 
large  birds,  in  an  open  country,  could  long  remain  un- 
discovered, whatever  their  coloration.  I  have  seen  it 
stated  in  support  of  the  extreme  theory  of  protective 
coloration   that  flamingoes  are  night  feeders.     That 


64  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

may  or  may  not  be  true  of  the  species  in  general.  But 
I  personally  know  of  some  hundreds  of  thousands  that 
do  their  feeding  daytimes! 

In  identically  the  same  way  a  pure  white  cloud  hang- 
ing in  the  sky  proved  to  be  snow  geese.  Another  was 
of  white  peUcans. 

By  and  by  we  came  to  a  papyrus  marsh  in  the  water 
along  the  edge  of  which  were  countless  hordes  of  geese, 
ducks,  waders,  and  many  sorts  of  ibis,  plover,  egrets, 
etc.  Never  have  I  seen  so  many  and  so  varied  water- 
fowl. They  were  quite  tame  and  did  not  take  wing 
untU  we  were  less  than  forty  yards  away.  Over  them 
wheeled  a  cloud  of  insect-catching  birds.  And  stiU 
higher  soared  grandly  the  hawks  and  eagles  and  carrion 
eaters. 

A  great  deal  of  game  comes  here  for  salt — wildebeeste, 
ostrich,  zebra,  and  many  giraffe.  We  saw  considerable; 
but  were  especially  impressed  by  the  abundance  of 
spoor. 

We  wanted  to  get  over  to  an  island  around  which  the 
N'gouramani  divided,  and  we  slopped  about  for  an 
hour  trying  to  find  a  ford.  The  river  had  here  over- 
flowed for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and  the  channel  was 
discoverable  only  when  one  fell  into  it.  Finally  we 
made  passage  a  Httle  over  waist  deep  and  camped  on 
our  island.  This  was  a  barren  piece  of  land  about 
four  miles  long  by  a  hah  mile  wide.  No  shelter.  Put 
our  blankets  over  the  tents  for  additional  shade. 


SODA   INCRUSTATIONS   AT   THE   HEAD   OE   LAKE   NATRON 


HEAD    SHAVING    BV    THE    PORTERS 
SEE  PAGE   70 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  65 

About  three  went  scouting  for  buffalo.  Cuninghame 
took  one  side  of  the  island  and  I  the  other.  After  about 
a  mile  I  jumped  a  bull  in  the  edge  of  the  papyrus  and 
gave  him  both  barrels  at  twenty  yards.  He  fell  with 
a  mighty  splash.  Hunted  up  Cuninghame  and  we 
waded  after  him.  Very  weird,  in  water  nearly  to  our 
waists,  surrounded  by  papyrus  that  completely  shut  in 
everything  but  the  sky  immediately  overhead,  water- 
birds  all  about,  indignant  hippos  booming  to  right  and 
left,  very  much  on  the  alert.  Followed  very  bloody  spoor 
for  twenty  yards,  and  found  the  buffalo  had  toppled 
into  the  swift  current  of  the  main  river  and  been  swept 
away.      Great  disappointment,  as  he  was  very  dead. 

In  evening  mosquitoes  out  by  millions.  The  air  was 
full  of  them.  We  could  hardly  eat.  Some  of  the  boys 
built  platforms  in  the  leafless  trees  and  slept  aloft. 
Others  dug  holes. 

Four  hours;  6 J  miles;  elevation,  1,900;  morning,  68; 
noon,  95;  night,  83. 

July  29. — Up  and  out  before  daybreak.  Saw  three 
buffs  on  edge  of  swamp  across  the  river,  and  slopped 
after  them.  We  got  close  but  could  not  see  them  on 
account  of  high  reeds.  This  would  be  a  good  place  to 
hunt  buffalo  in  drier  season,  but  now  that  the  river  is  in 
flood  it  is  hopeless.  It  was  interesting  to  see  the  water- 
fowl, however,  and  our  rosy  cloud  of  flamingoes  was 
again  in  the  sky.     Heard  many  lions. 

Decided  this  was  no  good,  so  packed  up  for  return. 


66  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

On  the  flat  I  made  two  very  long  shots  and  killed  two 
wildebeeste  of  the  new  species  described  by  Heller  and 
Roosevelt,  one  at  343  yards  (shoulder,  dead  in  tracks), 
and  the  other  alongside  of  him  (343).  This  last  moved 
off  very  slowly,  and  I  knocked  her  down,  after  one  miss, 
with  a  shoulder  shot  at  421  yards. 

The  safari  headed  directly  back  for  our  waterhole,  but 
I  made  a  circuit  through  the  scrub  in  the  course  of  which 
I  missed  an  impalla  at  90  yards. 

In  the  afternoon  I  went  out  a  half  mile  and  killed 
some  guinea  fowl.  To-night  the  boys  all  slept  up  trees 
on  account  of  mosquitoes.  In  the  night  one  fell  out  of 
bed !    Three  more  Wasonzi  showed  up  in  hope  of  meat. 

Morning,  61;  noon,  91;  night,  69. 

July  30. — We  now  decided  to  put  in  our  time  before 
the  German  customs  official  should  show  up  on  August 
8th  by  going  up  river  a  distance  in  search  of  buffalo. 
Accordingly  we  took  a  light  outfit  and  put  in  a  very 
hard  day's  march  through  stifling  scrub  and  all  up- 
hill. Very  thorny  and  we  had  difficulty  at  times  in 
picking  a  way.  We  thought  it  hot,  but  I  overheard 
one  porter  saying  to  another,  "Fine  weather;  just  like 
Mombasa."  Saw  a  number  of  rhinos  and  baboons. 
Just  before  the  day's  end,  when  everybody  was  feel- 
ing pretty  tired  and  subdued,  men  ahead  began  to 
jump  aside,  dropping  loads.  Thought  it  was  a  rhino, 
but  immediately  saw  a  small  animal  tearing  directly 
down  the  middle  of  the  trail  toward  me.     I  had  just 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  67 

time  to  leap  aside.  So  close  did  it  pass  to  me  that  it 
caught  my  rifle  sling  and  broke  it !  Memba  Sasa,  who 
had  not  seen  the  thing,  was  hit  square  in  his  tummy 
and  knocked  flying,  falling  heavily.  The  beast  was  a 
bushbuck  doe,  frantic  with  terror,  apparently  running 
with  both  eyes  shut! 

At  last  we  arrived  at  a  viUage  of  the  N'gouramani. 
These  dwell  under  the  escarpment,  keep  goats,  and  live 
in  separate  bomas.  They  resemble  the  Wasonzi,  but 
are  poor  and  few  in  numbers,  probably  the  last  rem- 
nant of  a  tribe.  We  camped  thankfully  under  a  wide 
tree  completely  overgrown  by  a  thick  vine  so  dense  it 
was  like  an  umbrella. 

At  supper  time  came  in  the  hunter  of  the  village. 
After  a  long  parley  we  agreed  with  him  that  if  we  got  a 
buffalo  we  would  pay  him  one  blanket  and  five  rupees. 
He  was  a  very  old  and  skinny  man,  and  we  soon  dis- 
covered that,  outside  the  fact  that  he  knew  where  the 
buffalo  were,  he  was  beyond  his  usefulness  as  a  hunter. 
I  could  not  help  but  be  sorry  for  the  poor  old  thing, 
and  speculate  on  his  latter  end;  and  was  glad  he  made 
something  of  us. 

Nine  and  a  half  hours'  hard  uphill  march;  20^  miles; 
elevation,  3,400;  morning,  60;  noon,  99;  night,  65. 

July  31. — Our  rather  scattered  dispositions  are  now 
as  follows:  two  men  at  waterhole  living  in  handa 
guarding  supplies,  eight  men  on  the  road  to  the  donkey 
boma  to  bring  up  polio,  one  man  sick  and  three  donkey 


68  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

men  at  the  homa  near  the  village,  the  rest  with  us. 
Consequently  we  are  travelling  with  only  bare  necessi- 
ties. 

Our  old  N  'gouramani  was  promptly  on  hand,  so  we 
were  off  at  sunrise.  He  led  us  by  a  rocky  trail  down 
a  series  of  steps  and  over  a  600-foot  escarpment  back 
to  the  river  level.  On  the  way  flushed  hundreds  grouse. 
The  cliffs  were  occupied  by  hordes  of  baboons  that 
came  out  and  barked  at  us. 

We  are  now  so  used  to  heat  that  our  morning  tem- 
perature of  sixty  degrees  seems  chilly!  Saw  some 
fresh  tracks  of  greater  kudu;  and  in  a  tree  a  huge 
structure  five  feet  high  by  three  broad,  pear-shaped, 
with  a  wide  hole  at  the  top.  I  thought  it  was  some  sort 
of  a  hunter 's  blind,  but  Memba  Sasa  says  it  is  the  nest 
of  the  crested  ibis! 

Camped  among  thin  thorn  trees.  Stony  underfoot, 
and  brown,  but  alongside  is  a  crystal  clear  stream  flow- 
ing over  rocks.  In  the  afternoon  our  old  guide  led  us 
an  hour  through  the  thorn  to  the  border  of  a  long  wet 
marsh  surrounded  by  higher  ground.  He  sneaked 
along  the  edge  of  this  looking  for  buffalo.  FinaUy 
he  had  us  lie  down  in  a  thicket  until  near  dusk.  The 
idea  was  to  wait  untfl  the  buffalo  came  out  in  the 
marsh  to  feed,  but  there  would  have  to  be  a  thou- 
sand thousand  of  them  or  else  mighty  good  luck  to  bring 
them  out  at  exactly  our  spot ! 

On  his  way  across  a  little  wet  arm  he  stooped  over, 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  69 

without  bending  his  knees,  and  drank;  which  shows  he 
was  a  limber  old  gentleman  after  all! 

We  lay  in  the  thicket  for  an  hour.  A  rhino  came  and 
sniffed  at  us  ten  yards  away,  but  decided  to  depart.  I 
had  sufficient  amusement  watching  the  various  birds. 
Of  course  nothing  happened.  On  the  way  home,  as  we 
needed  meat  badly,  I  killed  an  impalla  buck  at  210 
yards  with  the  .465 — a  good  deal  like  taking  a  club  to  a 
butterfly. 

Two  hours  twenty  minutes;  5 J  miles;  elevation, 
2,000;  morning,  60;  noon,  86;  night,  66. 

August  I. — Having  no  faith  whatever  in  the  old 
gentleman's  system,  we  resolved  to  hunt  buffalo  our 
own  way,  viz. :  search  for  fresh  spoor  and  then  follow  it 
until  something  happened.  Accordingly  we  returned 
to  the  swamp,  waded  it,  and  begun  to  cast  about  on  the 
other  side.  By  7 130  we  had  found  tracks  of  a  bull,  and 
for  two  hours  we  puzzled  along  them.  The  ground 
was  hard  and  confused  with  all  sorts  of  other  tracks 
new  and  old.  The  men  were  often  at  fault,  and  by 
9 130  we  had  followed  the  brute  only  about  half  a  mile. 
The  spoor  led  across  a  small  opening,  through  a  fringe 
of  sparse  brush,  and  apparently  to  a  distant  thicket. 
Eleven  giraffe  ambled  across  in  front  of  us  in  single 
file.  The  spoor  finally  led  past  a  dark  ant  heap  under 
an  isolated  small  tree  in  high  grass.  When  only  thirty 
yards  from  the  ant  heap,  I  saw  it  heave  slightly  and 
suddenly  recognized  it  as  the  curve  of  the  buffalo's 


70  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

back.  I  promptly  planted  a  .465  where  the  shoulder 
ought  to  be.  The  beast  leaped  to  his  feet  and  rushed 
in  our  direction.  My  second  barrel  in  the  chest 
turned  him.  Cuninghame  gave  him  both  barrels  in 
the  side,  and  he  came  down  within  fifty  yards.  An- 
other in  the  spine  finished  him.  He  was  a  good  big 
one,  five  feet  two  inches  at  shoulder,  and  eight  feet 
eleven  inches  in  straight  line,  as  he  lay,  from  nose  to 
rump.  We  ordered  the  old  savage  to  rustle  to  camp 
after  men,  but  he  told  us  earnestly  that  he  was  very 
old  and  very  tired.  This  was  true;  we  had  not  realized 
that  he  had  been  doing  pretty  strenuous  work  for  so 
aged  a  man.  Therefore  we  left  him  to  sit  by  the 
bufi'alo,  sent  Sanguiki  to  camp  for  men,  and  went 
on. 

Hunted  hard  for  eight  hours  more,  always  on  fresh 
spoor,  stooping  double  in  hot  thickets,  crawling, 
scratched  by  thorns,  and  generally  working  hard.  Had 
lunch  under  a  shady  bush  where  a  whole  lot  of  little 
monkeys  scouted  us  thoroughly.  On  the  way  home  I 
killed  another  impalla  with  the  .465  (carry  only  heavy 
guns  after  buff)  at  90  yards. 

In  camp  we  found  everybody  with  heads  freshly 
shaved  in  the  most  marvellous  designs.  Collected 
some  of  the  most  fantastic  for  a  picture.  M'ganga's 
tent  accidently  burned  up.  He  is  most  heartily 
ashamed !  Potio  men  back,  accompanied  by  nine  more 
Wasonzi  after  meat.     Our  fame  as  providers  is  spread- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  71 

ing.  Every  one  promptly  departed  for  the  buffalo, 
where  they  made  fires  and  stayed  all  night. 

Ten  hours'  hunting;  morning,  66;  noon,  95;  night,  74. 

August  2, — Spoored  buffalo  all  day  without  result, 
except  to  trail  them  into  impossible  places.  By  noon 
we  had  reached  the  N  'gouramani  River,  here  a  big  wide 
rushing  stream  with  a  forest  strip.  It  was  very  cool  and 
pleasant  under  the  trees.  Thousands  of  game  birds 
everywhere  on  this  grassy  thornbrush  flat.  Jumped 
a  giraffe  at  close  range,  and  was  much  amused  at  the 
rear  view.  He  held  his  tail  stiffly  at  an  affected  and 
rakish  angle  to  one  side  for  about  a  dozen  steps,  then 
swish!  he  flopped  it  over  to  the  other  side  for  about  the 
same  length  of  time. 

On  the  way  home  I  dropped  a  young  Robertsi  buck 
at  120  yards,  and  a  doe  for  the  head  (and  meat)  at 
167.  Saw  two  leopards  together,  but  did  not  get  a 
shot.     Sun  very  powerful. 

In  camp  we  found  the  third  mediocre  batch  of  bread 
in  four  days.  Had  up  the  cook  and  cut  his  wages  in 
half.  Have  not  had  a  bad  lot  since  (this  is  written 
August  23rd.). 

Morning,  67;  noon,  95;  night,  78. 

August  3. — Having  scouted  this  country  fairly  well, 
and  the  time  drawing  near  when  we  were  to  meet  the 
German  customs  officials,  we  started  back  for  the 
waterhole  along  the  base  of  the  escarpment,  intending 
to  camp  about  halfway  and  look  over  the  country. 


72  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

For  some  distance  we  had  really  fine  marching,  which 
was  quite  a  novelty  and  relief,  over  low  rolling  swells, 
with  wide  grass  openings,  and  long  parklike  swales  in 
which  fed  considerable  game.  Saw  a  great  many  cow 
eland  (no  bulls),  Robertsi,  zebra,  kongoni,  one  wilde- 
beeste,  a  serval  cat,  and  many  dik-dik.  After  a  time 
we  came  to  a  long  dry  soda  arm  of  the  lake,  which  we 
crossed;  plunged  into  scrub;  climbed  over  a  hill;  and 
dropped  down  into  one  of  the  loveliest  spots  I  have 
seen  in  Africa.  A  crystal  stream  running  over  peb- 
bles; a  flat  terrace;  then  a  single  row  of  enormous, 
wide-spreading  trees  as  though  planted;  and  from  be- 
neath their  low-flung  branches  sight  of  a  verdant  hill, 
and  distant  tiny  blue  glimpses  of  a  miniature  landscape 
far  away. 

"This  is  going  to  be  the  pleasantest  camp  we  have 
ever  had,"  said  we,  and  sat  down  to  eat  lunch  before 
the  safari  should  come. 

But  with  the  safari  came  two  lovely  naked  savages 
with  a  letter  in  a  cleft  stick.  Said  letter  proved  to  be 
from  the  German  governor.  It  absolved  us  from  meet- 
ing a  customs  officer  August  8th,  and  requested  us  to 
send  a  list  of  dutiable  articles.  This  was  very  good  of 
him;  also  it  saved  his  officer  a  hard  march  into  an  un- 
known country.  However,  it  altered  the  situation. 
No  need  to  hang  around  this  country  until  August 
8th.  We  resolved  to  hike  back  as  soon  as  we  could  to 
the  Wasonzi  village,  pick  up  our  donkeys,  and  pro- 


H  "A 


H  S  ;: 

cfi  OS  "^ 

H  P  W 

M  f^  O 


W  o 


W  Q 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  73 

ceed  eastward  into  our  Unknown  Land.  By  continuing 
on  to  the  waterhole,  the  long  march  would  save  us  a 
day.  Accordingly,  after  a  rest  we  abandoned  our 
beautiful  camp  and  went  on. 

A  half-hour  out  ran  across  giraffe.  Colburn  wants 
one,  for  which  he  pays  special  license,  and  this  was  the 
very  last  chance  before  entering  German  territor}'. 
There  were  in  the  herd  a  dozen  smaller  ones  and  one 
large  one,  apparently  bull  and  cows.  Sent  Memba 
Sasa  sneaking  about  for  a  point  of  vantage,  and  he 
reported  the  big  one  a  male.  At  this  moment  they  be- 
came aware  of  us  and  started  to  run.  It  was  now  or 
never,  so  I  opened  fire.  Hit,  high  shoulder,  running  at 
200  yards  with  the  Springfield.  It  went  thirty  yards 
and  fell  dead.  It  proved  to  be  a  very  large  cow! 
There  were  no  bulls  at  all,  and  Memba  Sasa 's  zeal  had 
outrun  his  judgment.  We  were  all  very'  sorry  for 
this,  but  took  the  trophy — and  left  a  dozen  or  so  de- 
lighted Wasonzi. 

At  the  waterhole  we  found  our  bo}'S  had  been  living 
high  on  guinea  fowl  they  had  snared. 

Eight   hours;    16   miles;    morning,    66;   noon,    100; 
night,  8s- 


CHAPTER  VI 

August  4. — Out  and  off  before  daylight  to  get  the 
2,300  feet  of  straight-up  escarpment  behind  us  before 
it  should  get  too  hot.  Hard  climb,  and  we  sure  per- 
spired some!  Every  Wasonzi  was  draped  with  spoils. 
Don't  suppose  they  have  ever  before  struck,  or  ever  will 
again  strike,  such  luck — meat,  hides,  sinews,  fat!  They 
could  hardly  navigate. 

Made  our  rhino  camp  at  the  top  in  four  and  one  half 
hours.  The  afternoon  Cuninghame  and  I  spent  in  pre- 
paring our  papers  for  the  Government  in  re  customs, 
and  in  constructing  a  surveyor 's  protractor.  We  made 
an  excellent  one  which  we  have  used  successfully  since. 
In  its  construction  we  employed  a  mica  from  the  can- 
dle lantern,  a  pair  of  scissors  (as  compasses),  a  darn- 
ing needle,  an  envelope,  the  thermometer  slide,  steel 
tape,  and  a  pocket  compass.  The  air  seems  cool  and 
grateful  at  this  altitude. 

Morning,  73;  noon,  80;  night,  66. 

August  5. — Started  on  a  cool  day  for  a  fine  march 
back  to  the  Wasonzi.  A  mile  or  so  from  camp  I  killed 
two  kongonis,  by  a  right  and  left  off-hand  at  237  yards, 
dead  in  their  tracks.  The  Wasonzi  took  charge,  as 
these  were  intended  as  a  final  gift.     A  Httle  farther  on 

74 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  75 

we  heard  a  movement  in  a  small  patch  of  brush  next  a 
spring.  Suspecting  buffalo  I  ran  around  the  other  side 
just  in  time  to  meet  a  sleek  black  rhino  that  came  out 
about  twenty  yards  away. 

Everything  was  lovely  and  happy,  but  we  were 
destined  to  a  setback.  Two  hours  out  we  met  Suli- 
mani  in  full  regaha,  musket,  bandolier,  and  all,  ac- 
companied by  a  Wasonzi  guide.  He  had  started  out 
to  hunt  us  up,  if  it  took  a  week,  and  was  dehghted  that 
his  errand  was  cut  so  short. 

He  reported  that  two  of  the  donkeys  had  died,  "and 
all  the  rest  are  sick." 

This  was  a  facer.  Much  perturbed,  we  hurried  on. 
Arrived  at  the  base  camp  we  found  one  donkey  dead, 
two  on  the  point  of  expiring,  and  five  more  of  ours  and 
six  of  Vanderweyer's  evidently  out  of  sorts.  Both  mules 
had  symptoms  of  fly.* 

We  called  in  from  pasture  all  survivors,  packed 
them,  and  hastily  dispatched  them  off  across  the  hills 
to  N'digadigu,  the  next  Wasonzi  village,  hoping  thus 
to  get  them  out  of  the  fly  belt.  Then  I  put  bullets 
through  the  brains  of  the  two. 

In  the  afternoon  Cuninghame  and  I  paid  a  visit  to 
the  village  on  the  hill.     There  was  a  long,  weU-made 


*  To  determine  if  a  beast  is  fly  struck,  take  a  fold  of  its  neck  skin  between 
your  thumb  and  finger.  If  it  smtxiths  out  immediately  on  being  released, 
the  beast  is  all  right.  If,  however,  it  stands  out  in  a  ridge,  without  elas- 
ticity, and  only  slowly  subsides,  your  animal  is  a  goner.  He  may  last  six 
days  or  six  months,  but  eventually  he  is  doomed.  He  will  die  next  time 
hfi  gets  wet  or  chilled. 


76  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

trail  up  the  hill  between  flowering  aloes,  euphorbia,  and 
dense  briars  and  thorn.  First  it  climbed  a  steep  rocky 
escarpment,  then  it  ran  perfectly  straight  and  open  for 
three  quarters  of  a  mile.  Because  of  the  thorny 
thicket  no  enemy  could  have  progressed  an  inch  ex- 
cept on  this  road,  which  was  visible  and  open  for  its 
whole  length.  Next  we  came  to  a  little  round  stock- 
ade of  heavy  timbers,  built  square  across  the  road, 
perhaps  ten  feet  in  diameter.  It  had  doorways  lead- 
ing in  both  directions,  but  timbers  lay  at  hand  by 
which  these  openings  could  be  closed.  Then  after 
another  interval  we  began  to  come  to  the  houses, 
perched  all  over  the  side  hill.  Even  near  at  hand 
their  resemblance  to  the  big  gray  boulders  was  most 
deceiving,  and  at  i8o  yards  Cuninghame  and  I  had  to 
guess  which  was  which.  They  proved  to  be  circular, 
thatched  with  gray  grass  in  rounded  roofs.  Each  en- 
trance was  fortified  in  miniature  just  like  the  gate. 

We  bent  double  and  entered  the  first  one.  It  was 
very  dark  and  warm,  but  after  our  eyes  had  become 
accustomed  to  the  dimness  we  found  we  were  calling 
on  a  young  lady,  stark  naked  except  for  ornaments, 
squatted  before  a  tiny  glow  of  coals  over  which  she  was 
drying  tobacco,  Beds  of  skins  were  suspended  at 
right  and  left.  New  skin  garments  hung  in  the  apex, 
together  with  bundles  of  provisions,  skins  of  beasts, 
gourds,  and  such  treasures.  She  seemed  not  at  all 
disturbed,  and  we  nodded  cheerfully  and  said  a-a-a-a 


TRE    SULTAN    OF   THE    WASONZI — "  THE   OLDEST   MAN   I   EVER   SAW  " 
SEE  PAGE  73 


FORTIFIED   GATE    BELOW   THE   WASONZI   VILLAGE 
SEE  PAGE  76 


THK.   PRIME    MINISTER   OF    THE    WASONZI 
SEE  PAGE  77 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  77 

in  friendly  fashion.  Then  we  crawled  out  and  con- 
tinued our  tour. 

Some  of  the  wealthier  houses  had  little  bomas  about 
them.  All  had  pear-shaped  jet-black  masses  of  some 
substance  that  looked  like  asphalt  drying  in  the  sun; 
these  we  ascertained  to  be  manufactured  tobacco.  Met 
and  grinned  at  many  gaudUy  painted  warriors  and 
old  men.  Coveys  of  naked  children  scrambled  like 
goats  up  the  mountainside  ahead  of  us,  and  perched 
on  crags  to  gaze  down  at  us.  Everybody  was  most 
friendly. 

Finally  we  inquired  for  the  chief  and  were  led  dowTi 
to  a  naked  old  fellow  sitting  on  a  piece  of  skin.  He  ^vas 
the  most  ancient  piece  of  humanity  I  have  ever  beheld, 
a  mere  skeleton,  his  joints  twice  the  size  of  his  limbs, 
his  skin  a  wTinkled  parchment,  his  eyes  bleared.  We 
stood  and  stared  at  him,  but  he  never  looked  up. 

"Nothing  to  do  here,"  said  Cuninghame,  but  had 
Sanguiki  address  him  in  Masai. 

The  skeleton  rattled  and  a  slow,  deliberate,  power- 
ful voice  issued  from  it. 

*'I  am  chief  not  only  of  this  village,"  Sanguiki 
translated,  *'but  of  another  village  far  away  there,  and 
another  great  village,  nearer,  there.  I  am  a  great 
chief." 

By  this  time  three  younger  old  men,  evidently  prime 
ministers,  came  up,  accompanied  by  a  half-dozen  war- 
riors.    One    had   a   delightfully    quizzical   humorous 


78  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

face,  and  all  had  a  look  of  great  intelligence.  With 
them  we  chatted  for  some  time.  We  motioned  to  San- 
guiki  to  give  the  old  chief  a  paper  of  snuff  we  had 
brought  as  a  present.  The  old  fellow  mistook  us,  and 
helped  himself  to  an  enormous  pinch. 

"It  is  yours,  all  yours,"  we  told  him. 

As  soon  as  he  understood  this,  he  hastily  returned 
to  the  packet  the  large  pinch  and  took  for  immediate 
use  only  a  very  little  one. 

*'He  must  be  Scotch,"  laughed  Cuninghame. 

We  left  him,  carrying  away  the  impression  of  a  very 
old  man  sitting  in  the  sun. 

On  our  way  down  the  trail  we  met  the  water  safari, 
a  long  string  of  women  and  children  carrying  in- 
numerable gourds,  by  means  of  which  the  whole 
village  is  supplied  from  the  stream,  a  toilsome  mile 
away.  Also  we  met  one  of  our  guides  returning  laden 
with  spoils  from  the  two  kongonis  I  had  killed.  He 
had  with  him  an  old  man  with  a  spear,  a  young 
warrior,  and  a  toto.  We  passed  the  time  of  day,  and 
asked  him  if  the  toto  was  his. 

He  laid  his  hand  on  the  warrior's  shoulder.  ''This 
is  my  toto,^^  said  he,  "the  little  one  is  his."  We  were 
about  to  move  on  when  the  old  man  seized  my  hand 
and  placed  it  on  the  guide's  arm,  at  the  same  time 
pointing  to  his  own  breast.  Thus  four  generations 
were  returning  laden  with  the  white  man's  bounty. 
The  Wasonzi  are  a  friendly,  pleasant,  human  people. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  79 

M'ganga  to  his  joy  discovers  that  the  askari  who 
brought  us  the  letter  is  his  brother-in-law.  Ramadan 
begins,  and  all  our  good  Moslems  must  abstain  food 
and  drink  from  sunrise  to  sunset. 

August  6. — Started  off  at  6 130  over  a  high  rocky  pass 
with  good  trail  through  the  hills  to  southwest.  Shortly 
we  looked  out  over  a  tumbled  valley  of  hills  with  an- 
other high  rampart  five  or  six  miles  away.  Made  out 
through  our  glasses  the  village  of  N'digadigu  perched 
high,  like  the  other.  It  was  five  or  six  times  the  size  of 
Olsambu,  and  the  fertile  vaUey  was  cultivated  far  and 
wide.  On  the  slope  I  killed  a  kongoni  for  meat  with 
two  shots  at  210  and  260.  Crossed  a  flowing  stream 
and  came  to  a  fine  upsloping  grass  and  cultivated  land 
with  water  singing  dowTi  innumerable  winding  ditches, 
and  the  finest  single  big  trees,  spaced  here  and  there, 
I  have  ever  seen.  They  are  very  green,  with  wide 
leaves,  thick  great  branches  spreading  far,  spacious 
domes,  and  thick,  grateful  shade.  Flowering  aloes  were 
all  about,  and  groves  of  strange  twisted  or  stately 
euphorbias  about  some  of  which  python-like  vines 
were  doing  their  choking  best.  Paths  ran  in  all  di- 
rections. We  made  several  false  starts,  once  landing 
at  the  fortified  gate  of  the  village,  but  at  last  found  our 
donkeys  camped  near  the  askari  post.  This  had  been 
constructed  under  one  of  the  aforementioned  big  trees, 
with  a  heav>'  twisted  outside  boma,  a  ditch  and  pali- 
sades.   Two    Monumwezi    askaris   occupied    it.     We 


8o  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

found  the  ground  under  another  big  tree  swept  clean 
and  bare,  and  three  grass  bandas  ready  for  us.  We 
pitched  our  tents,  the  men  theirs,  the  donkeys  were 
already  bomaed — and  we  utilized  only  half  the  space 
under  that  great  tree !  It  was  64  feet  in  circumference, 
and  its  branches  extended  120  yards. 

We  sent  back  men  to  the  last  camp  with  instruc- 
tions to  lie  there  to-night,  and  to-morrow  to  bring  some 
potio  loads  we  had  to  leave  there.  About  8 130,  to  our 
surprise,  they  returned  with  the  loads,  having  made 
thirty-one  miles  in  all,  over  mountains,  and  over  twenty 
miles  of  it  loaded ! 

We  had  swarms  of  visitors,  with  the  most  impor- 
tant of  whom  we  exchanged  courtesies.  The  German 
askaris,  very  trim  in  their  uniforms,  reported  formally, 
saluted,  and  returned  to  their  fort.  Found  another 
donkey  dead. 

This  night  the  village  held  a  grand  n'goma — for- 
tunately at  a  distance — in  honour  of  the  advent  of  the 
first  white  men  since  the  Germans  established  the  post 
in  '96.  The  askaris  are  changed  every  two  months, 
and  apparently  are  never  inspected.  The  Mohamme- 
dan month  of  Ramadan,  the  month  of  fasting,  is  now 
on.  The  good  Moslem  is  supposed  to  eat  between 
sunset  and  sunrise.  As  we  have  about  fifty  per  cent,  of 
that  faith  in  our  safari,  we  called  up  AH,  and  asked  him 
how  about  it — whether  men  like  porters  working  hard 
had  to  keep  it. 


EUPHORBIA   FOREST   NEAR   N  DIG.ADIGU 


THE    BIG   TREE   NEAR   N  DIGADIGU 


CURIOUS   EXAMPLE   OF   A   STRANGLING   VINE 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  8i 

"Ramadan  can  be  postponed,"  he  told  us,  "so  that 
it  can  be  kept  any  other  month." 

"  How  do  you  do  that?  " 

"By  killing  a  camel,"  says  Ali. 

"Are  all  the  men  keeping  Ramadan?"  we  asked. 

"Only  me." 

We  haven't  noted  any  defunct  camels,  so  don't 
know  how  they  work  it.  Perhaps  they  consider  their 
credit  good  for  one  camel ;  or  perhaps,  like  white  men, 
they  leave  their  religion  outside  a  wild  country. 

Four  hours;  lo^  miles;  elevation,  3,900;  morning,  68; 
noon,  74;  night,  68. 

August  7.— About  two  o'clock  last  night  a  tremen- 
dous burst  of  talking  broke  out.  This  was  strictly 
against  all  discipline.  When  the  Hght  in  bwana  '5  tent 
goes  out  all  conversation  is  supposed  to  cease.  This  is 
a  necessary  regulation,  as  otherwise  somebody  would 
be  talking  all  night  long.  It  would  not  be  the  same 
somebody;  he  would  have  finished  and  gone  to  sleep. 
But  by  that  time  another  fellow,  who  had  been  peace- 
fully slumbering,  would  wake  up,  feel  sociable,  punch 
the  lire  and  his  dearest  chum,  and  start  in  for  a  good 
comfortable  shauri.  The  native  has  no  regular  hours 
for  eating  and  sleeping  as  we  have.  He  goes  on  the 
dog's  system. 

Therefore,  at  breakfast,  we  started  an  inquiry. 
M  'ganga  was  very  apologetic  and  deprecatory. 

"I   am   very  sorry,"   said   M'ganga  apologetically. 


82  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

*'I  hope  the  bwana  will  excuse  me.  A  sick  donkey  fell 
through  my  tent  upon  my  head." 

We  forgave  him !    The  sick  donkey  died. 

After  a  long  shauri  we  found  two  men  who  knew  the 
Masai  route  through  the  mountains  and  engaged  them 
to  pilot  Vanderweyer's  men  and  donkeys  back  to  the 
homa.  With  them  we  sent  all  our  trophies,  our  riding 
saddles,  and  the  syce.  We  went  over  Vanderweyer's 
beasts  very  thoroughly  for  symptoms  of  fly,  and  kept 
with  us  six  that  seemed  likely  to  die  anyway.*  Dowdi 
left  us  without  many  regrets,  I  think. 

The  men  spent  the  day  trading  with  the  savages. 
Each  brought  out  an  unexpected  little  store  of  beads 
and  entered  into  bargains  for  milk,  vegetables,  fruit, 
etc.  They  have  also  started  the  fashion  of  unravelling 
the  sleeves  of  their  jerseys,  and  with  the  yarn  weaving 
lanyards.  Gave  Ali  some  beads  and  snuff,  and  with  them 
he  bought  us  enough  yams,  green  beans,  and  a  sort  of 
squash  to  last  us  a  fortnight.  Amused  myself  wander- 
ing around  and  listening  to  the  bargaining.  Overheard 
this,  delivered  in  a  voice  of  scorn  : 

"You  might  sell  that  to  the  white  men,  but  not  to 
me!" 

Then  he  turned  and  discovered  me  at  his  shoulder ! 

Some  of  them  have  caught  quite  a  lot  of  fish  which 
they  are  drying  on  sticks.     Memba  Sasa  started  a 


*A11  six  died;  and  when  we  returned  to  Nairobi  we  found  that  of  those 
we  sent  back,  nineteen  were  lost.     Old  Sendeu's  hostility  had  cost  us  dear. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  83 

new  lace-work  cap.  I  explained  how  the  Memsahib 
had  made  the  others  into  sewing  baskets  and  he  was 
much  interested.  Poked  around  and  took  pictures. 
Slept  three  and  a  half  hours.  Wrote  in  log.  A  high 
cold  wind  came  up  in  afternoon. 

Morning,  64;  noon,  74;  night,  66. 

August  8. — Our  plan  is  now  to  strike  westward 
until  we  reach  Victoria  Nyanza,  going  out  at  Shirati, 
near  the  Anglo-German  boundary.  The  first  task  is  to 
pass  the  high  barrier  of  north-and-south  mountains 
directly  before  us.  Fortunately  our  Wasonzi  friends 
know  a  way  through  them  to  a  high  plateau.  This 
joins  the  regular  route  to  Ikoma  eventually.  Beyond 
the  edge  of  the  plateau  they  know  nothing.  It  keeps 
going  on,  indefinitely,  "to  where  the  sun  sets,"  they 
say;  and  they  want  none  of  it.  They  are  perfectly 
willing  to  take  us  as  far  as  they  know,  however,  and  we 
engaged  three  guides.  When  we  came  to  pack  up, 
however,  a  dozen  reported;  and  one  of  the  German  as- 
karis,  in  full  regalia,  came  along,  too.  He  says 
he  is  given  seven  cartridges  a  month  for  meat.  After 
I  had  looked  his  blunderbuss  over,  I  did  not  wonder 
he  took  every  chance  to  supplement  his  supply.  They 
all  say  there  is  lots  of  game  up  there;  and  w^e 
have  assured  them  in  return  that  we  will  feed  them 
all  well. 

As  it  is  exceedingly  difiicult,  as  well  as  wasteful  of 
time,  to  try  to  keep  our  different  units  together  on  this 


84  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

sort  of  a  march,  we  divided  into  three  sections :  First, 
myself,  guide,  gunbearers  as  a  sort  of  reconnoissance 
party  to  spy  out — and  blaze — best  routes,  hunt  for 
water,  etc.  Second,  the  carriers,  with  guide,  to  take 
their  own  gait  with  the  outfit.  Third,  Cuninghame, 
the  donkey  men,  and  guide,  to  get  up  as  best  and  as  far 
as  they  were  able.  For  two  miles  we  followed  down 
the  valley  close  to  the  hills.  Little  naked  children 
perched  on  dizzy  crags  far  above  us  to  watch  us  go.  At 
every  little  crossroad  squatted  a  group  of  women  who 
arose  at  our  approach  and  waved  and  screamed  us  into 
the  proper  path.  We  met  many  people  going  to  their 
fields,  each  carrying  a  gourd,  a  leaf  packet  of  provi- 
sions, and  a  smouldering  brand  with  which  to  start  his 
fire.  They  all  shouted  and  screamed  at  us  in  their  own 
language. 

Then  we  turned  into  a  rocky  canon  with  a  stream,  at 
the  head  of  which  we  accompHshed  a  terrific  straight- 
up  climb  of  I, IOC  feet.  Very  hot,  bad  footing,  steep; 
a  regular  heart-breaker.  Up  at  last,  this  brought  us 
to  rolling  mountain  tops  and  low  summits  a  few  miles 
away  to  which  we  rose  slowly;  and  then  a  wooded  shady 
pass  through  the  main  crest  with  a  beautiful  high  still 
forest  and  monkeys  and  traiUng  vines  and  still  cool 
shadows  and  breathless  leafy  gHmpses  and  bright  birds; 
next  slowly  opening  out  to  grassy  openings  and  tree 
clumps;  and  so  over  an  edge  to  find  not  a  drop  on  the 
other  side,  but  yellow  plains  undulating  away  before 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  85 

us  as  far  as  we  could  see  with  single  dim  blue  hills  sail- 
ing hull  down  below  the  horizon. 

Just  here  we  began  to  see  game,  and  I  dropped  two 
kongoni,  at  180  yards — after  one  miss — and  at  282. 
Also  saw  a  Bohur  reedbuck  running  hard  through  tall 
grass.  As  my  only  specimen  had  been  burned  up  in 
Colburn  's  fire  I  tried  him,  but  missed. 

Camped  near  a  spring  under  a  lone  tree,  a  mountain 
range  rising  abruptly  at  our  back  and  the  plains  before 
us.  The  men  came  in  an  hour  later,  but  Cuninghame 
did  not  show  up.  I  thought  of  that  fearful  1,100  foot 
chmb ! 

After  a  short  rest  I  went  out  to  get  more  meat*  from 
some  of  the  game  herds  feeding  in  plain  sight.  The 
wind  was  blowing  hard  which  as  always  made  the 
game  very  wild.  This  is  invariable,  and  I  have  tested 
the  theory  perfectly;  having  been  within  50  yards 
of  the  same  game  on  a  still  day  that  would  not  let  me 
get  within  400  yards  in  a  wind.  After  considerable 
stalking  I  managed  to  hit  a  kongoni  at  238  yards.  He 
ran  slowly  for  300  yards,  when  I  sneaked  up  and 
finished  him. 

Well  satisfied,  I  returned  to  camp.  About  5:30 
Cuninghame  came  in  alone,  nearly  tired  out.  He  re- 
ported a  fearful  time  getting  to  the  top  with  the  don- 
keys, and  left  them  encamped  at  the  top  of  the  rise  all 
in.     He  was  pretty  much  all  in  himself. 

*  We  had  temporarily  a  good  many  men  to  feed. 


86  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Distant  grass  fires  were  wonderfully  beautiful  after 
dark,  throwing  a  glare  into  the  heavens,  and  running 
forward  in  long  wavering  lines  of  flame.  Some  of  it 
had  crept  to  the  top  of  the  other  side  of  the  very  dis- 
tant hills,  where  first  it  showed  like  a  star,  and  then  burst 
forth  into  a  beacon.    The  high  wind  continued  all  night. 

Six  hours;  i2|  miles;  elevation,  6,250;  morning,  60; 
noon,  69;  night,  60. 

August  9. — Since  we  sent  back  the  syce  and  our 
saddles,  we  are  packing  the  mules.  Sent  out  a  relief 
expedition  to  help  Dolo  and  carry  donkey  loads  if 
necessary. 

Then  Cuninghame  and  I  started  off  together  to  ex- 
plore. For  an  hour  and  a  half  we  skirted  the  base  of 
the  mountain,  then  crossed  a  small  stream  called  the 
Dorodedi  where  in  some  rocks  we  saw  hyrax.  From 
this  point  Cuninghame  headed  straight  west  across  the 
plain  toward  the  single  lone  kopje  to  scout  for  water  for 
the  next  camp,  and  I  swung  down  to  the  left  to  look 
over  the  game.  Stacks  of  game — Tommy,  Robertsi, 
kongoni,  zebra,  ostrich,  small  antelope,  and  several 
black  compact  herds  of  wildebeeste  like  ink  spots  in 
the  distance.  A  strong  fresh  wind  blew  from  the  east 
and  everything  was  wild  and  suspicious.  Very  hard  to 
shoot  as  the  wind  was  strong  enough  to  swing  the  gun, 
and  most  of  it  had  to  be  offhand,  on  account  of  the 
long  grass.  Missed  a  Tommy  twice  at  120  yards. 
Then  after  an  interval  missed  a  first  shot  at  a  Robertsi 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  87 

at  180,  but  downed  him  with  the  second.  Farther  on 
attempted  in  vain  to  stalk  wildebeeste,and  tried  Colby^s 
lucky  bullet  at  300  yards^  but  could  not  hold  on.  Later 
one  came  toward  me  as  I  lay  concealed  and  I  dropped 
him,  after  a  miss,  at  315  yards.  Leaving  a  busy  little 
group  at  each  carcass,  I  dipped  back  toward  the  river 
where  I  saw  many  guinea  fowl,  and  a  big  herd  of 
mixed  game  going  along  single  file,  among  which  I  dis- 
tinguished two  topi.*  In  the  smoke  of  a  nearby  fire 
made  out  dimly  the  darting  forms  of  savages  with  fire- 
brands running  along  and  setting  fire  to  the  grass. 
They  disappeared  when  we  came  near  them.  Air  full 
of  smoke  and  the  crackling  of  flames.  Got  out  of 
there.  Just  as  we  topped  the  hill  came  upon  a  herd  of 
kongoni.  Put  Baxter's  lucky  bullet  low  in  the  shoulder 
at  no  yards,  and  followed  it  with  two  others  before  he 
left  his  feet,  though  he  did  not  move  twenty  yards. 
This  finished  the  desired  quota  for  ourselves  and  Wa- 
sonzi,  so  I  returned  to  camp  after  seven  and  a  hah  hours. 

All  afternoon  the  Wasonzi  drifted  in  from  N'digadigu 
until  twenty  had  arrived.  Each  was  escorted  to  my  tent 
by  the  one  who  talked  Swahili  with  the  statement: 

"I  have  arrived." 

''  Make  it  so, "  I  rephed,  like  the  captain  of  a  warship. 

Then  the  newcomer  joined  his  friends  in  the  big  leafy 
bower.  After  tea  I  went  over  and  had  quite  a  chat 
with  them.     At  sundown  some  eland  appeared  and 

*  This  seemed  to  be  the  easterly  range  of  these  animals. 


88  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

looked  at  camp.  I  went  down  in  my  mosquito  boots  to 
get  one,  but  they  skipped  out.  Came  on  a  kongoni  at 
no  yards,  and  shot  him  for  our  friends,  who  leave  us 
to-morrow. 

The  Wasonzi  tell  me  it  was  they  who  set  fire  to  the 
grass. 

''Thus  the  rhino  are  driven  off,"  they  say,  "and  if 
there  are  no  rhino  the  Wanderobo  stay  away." 

At  sundown,  the  men,  carrying  the  donkey  loads  and 
driving  the  donkeys,  came  slowly  in.  The  donkeys 
and  one  of  the  mules  died  at  the  top  of  the  hill.  Shortly 
after  Cuninghame  came  in  after  a  thirty-mile  tramp. 
Under  the  little  kopje  after  long  search  he  found  a  pud- 
dle of  water  "as  big  as  his  hat,"  and  by  digging 
proved  it  to  be  a  spring. 

So  that  determines  the  direction  and  distance  of  our 
next  move.  This  evening  the  fire  has  crept  up  the 
other  side  of  a  lone  mountain  peak  ten  miles  away,  and 
has  appeared  at  the  top,  so  it  is  like  a  volcano. 

Morning,  50;  noon,  66;  night,  60. 

August  10. — This  is  a  rest  day  for  the  donkeys — and 
for  Cuninghame !  They  have  both  had  as  much  as  they 
need.  Again  high  gale  and  cold.  Walked  with  Memba 
Sasa  to  the  Dorodedi,  with  shotgun,  and  shot  four  rock 
hyraxes,  a  steinbuck,  and  some  guinea  fowl.  Out  four 
and  a  half  hours.  Loafed,  wrote  log,  etc.  Wasonzi 
departed  for  home. 

Morning,  52;  noon,  64;  night,  62. 


CHAPTER   VII 

August  n. — Another  donkey  died,  and  our  trans- 
portation problems  have  begun  in  good  earnest.  We 
have  now  more  loads  than  we  can  handle,  and  we  do  not 
yet  feel  like  abandoning  anything.  Therefore  we  leave 
here  twelve  loads  in  charge  of  two  sick  men,  together 
with  two  more  sick  donkeys.  They  are  to  camp  here 
until  we  send  for  them.  This,  by  our  plan,  will  not  be 
from  the  next  camp.  We  shall  push  forward  until  we 
find  a  good  country. 

Marched  across  rolling  open  grass  plains  to  the  end 
of  a  hill.  Not  much  game  in  the  middle  of  the  plain, 
but  ran  into  it  again  near  Cuninghame's  spring  and 
thereabouts.  Still  blowing  hard,  and  game  almost 
impossible  to  approach.  Near  the  hiU  I  branched  ofif 
to  the  left  after  desired  meat,  while  Cuninghame  and 
the  men  went  on  to  make  camp.  Missed  a  Robertsi  at 
about  200  yards;  impossible  to  hold  on  in  this  gale,  and 
have  to  snap  for  it  when  the  sights  touch.  Then  after  a 
long  stalk  hit  a  wildebeeste,  too  far  back  at  300  yards. 
Sat  down  to  watch  him.  He  stopped  about  a  mile 
away  and  lay  down.  Stalked  him  carefully  and 
tried  again.  Tried  sitting  down,  against  a  tree,  over  a 
limb  to  get  a  decent  sight;  but  brace  myself  as  I  might, 

89 


90  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  wind  swung  the  sights  across  him  and  ten  feet 
either  side.  Snapped  at  him  and  gave  him  a  surface 
wound.  He  went  two  miles  and  lay  down  again.  Broke 
down  his  foreshoulder  at  310  yards.  Sent  Sanguiki 
back  for  porters  and  with  Memba  Sasa  took  a  long 
circle  to  the  right.  Missed  a  Tommy  at  140  yards. 
At  last  got  a  game  herd  outside  some  small  thorn, 
through  which  I  crawled  on  my  faxe  until  I  got  a  shot 
at  a  wildebeeste  at  280  yards.  Facing  me.  Hit  him 
well,  and  raked  him  twice  as  he  ran,  at  (about)  300 
yards  and  (exactly)  340. 

While  Memba  Sasa  took  care  of  the  meat  and  went 
for  men,  I  continued  on  to  the  top  of  the  swell  west- 
ward, and  took  compass  bearings  of  the  hills  so  as  to 
know  how  to  cut  a  river  called  the  Bololedi,  reported  to 
us  by  the  savages.  From  this  present  camp  we  cut  loose 
from  all  native  tracks  and  all  native  knowledge,  and 
enter  absolutely  virgin  country. 

On  the  way  to  camp  I  picked  up  a  fresh  ostrich  egg. 
It  made  a  huge  omelette. 

Nine  hours.  Pretty  tired.  Safari,  i6j  miles;  I, 
about  25;  elevation,  6,300;  morning,  51 ;  noon  (?); night, 
64. 

August  12. — Struck  directly  across  country  by  com- 
pass by  the  bearings  I  took  yesterday,  and  after  some 
hours'  march  came  to  the  edge  of  low  mountains,  or  high 
hUls,  with  easy  slopes,  sparsely  grown  with  small  trees, 
and  valleys  between.    It  had  been  recently  burned ;  and 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  91 

indeed  for  the  next  ten  days  or  so  we  were  never  out  of 
fine  charcoal  footing  which  arose  in  clouds  and  which 
grimed  up  everything.  We  were  always  very  dirty, 
but  it  was  a  good,  clean,  healthful  antiseptic  sort 
of  dirt,  and  the  absence  of  high  grass  made  shooting 
easier. 

But  here  we  ran  into  multitudes  of  game,  game 
that  had  never  heard  a  rifle  shot;  had  probably  never 
seen  a  man  save  possibly  a  stray  Wanderobo.  It  stood 
about  in  groups  and  singly,  and  stared  at  us  in  stupefied 
astonishment  while  we  went  by,  never  taking  the  trouble 
even  to  move  unless  it  happened  to  be  to  leeward  of 
us.  Never  will  anybody  again  get  into  virgin  game 
fields  like  these,  for  they  are  the  last  bit  unexplored 
and  we  dropped  into  the  abundance  of  them  so  sud- 
denly! Wildebeeste,  even,  stood  at  100  yards  and  let 
us  pass,  and  topi  and  kongoni,  zebra.  Tommy,  eland, 
Robertsi,  steinbuck,  dik-dik  merely  trotted  a  few  steps, 
and  stared,  and  trotted  a  few  steps  more,  and  stared 
again.  I  expected  some  of  them  to  come  up  and  beg 
for  peanuts.     It  was  a  wonderful  sight. 

By  and  by  we  passed  a  bold  outcrop  of  rocks,  wherein 
were  klip-springers  and  reedbuck  bounding  around, 
and  began  a  long  gentle  downward  slope  that  led  to  the 
river.     We  arrived  at  hot  noon — to  find  it  a  dry  wash ! 

However,  we  soon  discovered  a  pool  in  the  rocks,  and 
made  camp  on  a  Httle  patch  of  clean  grass  that  had 
escaped  burning.     A  donkey  died  on  the  road. 


92  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

In  the  afternoon  Cuninghame  and  I  took  a  little 
stroU  up  the  wash  to  see  if  there  was  more  water  above. 
A  short  distance  out  I  downed  a  Bohur  reedbuck  at 
80  yards  (my  only  specimen  was  burned).  A  little 
farther  on  we  heard  a  chorus  of  zebra  barkings,  a 
regular  kalele,  persistent,  shrill,  and  numerous.  Of 
course  we  went  to  investigate  the  cause,  supposing 
that  they  must  at  least  be  harried  by  wild  dogs.  We 
found  it  to  be  sheer  exuberance!  From  a  big  water- 
hole,  up  through  the  scrub,  came  a  mighty  procession 
of  all  sorts  of  animals,  seemingly  endless,  back  for  feed 
after  their  four  o'clock  watering.  They  were  biting, 
and  racing,  and  plodding  soberly  along,  and  kicking 
playfully,  and  all  lifting  up  their  voices  in  sheer  joy  and 
thankfulness.  We  stood  behind  a  little  tree  and  watched 
them  through  our  glasses  with  the  keenest  pleasure 
until  they  had  all  passed  on.  Then  we  moved  forward 
to  look  at  the  waterhole. 

This  Httle  piece  of  country  is  like  the  Garden  of  the 
Gods — we  wind  our  way  on  firm  level  earth  between 
domes  and  monoliths.  The  water  lay  deep  and  cool 
in  a  hoUow  with  tall  green  reeds  all  about.  And  in  the 
reeds  we  saw  a  fine  bull  eland! 

My  first  shot  raked  him  at  277  yards.  I  followed  it 
immediately  with  three  others  as  he  turned,  all  in  the 
shoulder.  It  was  now  near  dark,  and  we  had  no  men 
with  us.  Cuninghame  hiked  to  camp  for  men,  and  I 
first  built  a  protection  fire  and  then  set  about  skinning. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  93 

The  entire  safari  turned  out,  and  we  had  that  excellent 
meat  and  trophy  in  a  jiflfy. 

Saw  a  steinbuck  that  thought  itself  hidden,  crouched 
flat  to  the  ground,  with  its  ears  folded  neatly  forward 
like  those  of  a  spaniel  dog!  That  is  a  new  one  on  me! 
One  of  the  porters  (wandering  idly  from  the  camp  in  the 
afternoon)  reported  to  us  that  he  had  come  across  four 
roan.  We  do  not  know  whether  or  not  this  is  true,  but 
if  so,  this  country  is  being  pretty  good  to  us! 

Six  hours'  march;  morning,  54;  noon,  78;  night,  64. 

August  13. — Out  early  after  roan  as  reported  by  the 
porter.  I  put  in  Harry  Ross's  lucky  bullet,  as  this 
beast  ranks  after  the  greater  kudu,  and  with  the  sable, 
as  the  finest  trophy  of  African  antelope,  and  the  most 
difficult  to  get.  My  only  one  burned.  Sent  M'ganga 
and  Soli  to  scout  forward  for  water. 

About  half -hour  out  saw  a  wild  dog,  and  a  little  later 
three  roan  bounded  across  our  front  and  disappeared 
before  we  could  get  a  shot.  While  looking  after  them 
I  heard  Memba  Sasa  snap  his  fingers  and  looked  to  see 
a  fourth,  behind  us,  stopped  and  staring.  I  could  just 
see  a  piece  of  his  forequarters  between  two  trees,  and 
the  rising  sun  was  square  behind  him.  However, 
Harry 's  bullet  was  indeed  lucky,  and  I  hit  in  his  fore- 
shoulder.  This  was  probably  enough,  but  I  took  no 
chances,  and  landed  another  quartering  from  behind  as 
he  staggered  forward.  This  brought  him  down,  but  Igave 
him  a  third  in  the  shoulder  to  hold  him.   Great  triumph ! 


94  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Spent  the  rest  of  the  morning  quartering  the  thin 
woods  below  the  hill  looking  for  more.  Saw  quanti- 
ties of  the  very  tame  game,  and  several  steinbuck  that 
thought  themselves  hidden,  and  which  we  passed  within 
a  few  yards.  At  camp  found  another  donkey  dead. 
Two  more  died  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon.  This 
makes  thirteen,  and  one  mule.  Big  thunder  storm  far 
to  the  north,  in  the  mountains. 

Morning,  54;  noon,  90;  night,  68.  Men  call  this 
Campi  ya  Korongo  (Roan  Camp). 

August  14. — Fine  Japanese  effect  of  flat  acacias 
against  the  glow  of  the  morning  sky.  Unfavourable 
reports  from  M'ganga  as  to  water  ahead,  so  cut  back 
in  the  hills  to  the  north,  between  a  big  round  mountain 
and  high  rock  outcrop.  Passes  low,  and  travelling 
open  and  very  easy.  Loads  of  game.  This  led  us  to  a 
wide  interior  valley  sweeping  upward  to  the  north  be- 
tween two  low  ranges,  across  which  we  angled  toward 
the  upper  end  where  our  glasses  had  disclosed  a  green 
spot  that  looked  like  water.  About  noon  we  found 
this  to  be  a  trickling  little  clear  cold  stream,  with  big 
trees.  The  trickle  soon  ran  underground,  leaving 
the  country  dry  and  parched,  but  it  made  us  a  shady, 
pleasant  camp  in  which  we  resolved  to  stop  for  some 
days. 

While  waiting  for  the  safari,  Memba  Sasa  and  I  went 
on  to  find  the  source,  and  got  a  very  fine  sight  of  a 
magnificent  black-maned  lion.     The  wind  was  wrong, 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  95 

and  he  bounded  into  the  thicket,  but  he  was  a  beauti- 
ful creature. 

Our  camp  was  made  in  a  shady  grove.  The  donkeys 
came  in  very  late  and  tired. 

In  the  afternoon  Cuninghame  and  I  went  upstream 
to  the  pass  whence  we  looked  down  the  length  of  an- 
other narrow  valley,  widening  between  the  hiUs.  It 
headed  against  ours,  but  on  the  other  side  of  the  low 
transverse  range.  Here  at  120  yards  I  hit  a  Bohur 
doe  low  in  the  shoulder,  and  brought  her  down  by 
a  second,  running,  shot  at  80.  Then  we  made  a  high 
climb  up  the  mountain  to  our  left,  and  found  at  last 
a  rounded  grassy  summit  on  which  were  many  Chan- 
ler  's  reedbuck.  These  graceful,  and  generally  shy,  crea- 
tures, bounded  all  about  us,  stopping  within  a  few 
yards,  and  uttering  their  high  shrill  whistles.  East, 
north,  and  south  were  spread  before  us  fine  big  tumbled 
hills  and  mountains,  through  the  smoke  of  many  grass 
fires.  West  extended  a  boundless  plain,  undulating 
and  black  with  brush  and  fire.  The  sun  struck  in  bars 
through  the  smoke,  and  the  distance  was  lost  in  haze. 

Got  back  to  camp  at  dark  to  find  it  well  stung  by 
bees.  An  enterprising  porter  had  found  a  bee  tree  too 
near,  and  had  got  everybody  in  trouble.  After  dark 
they  went  at  it  again  and  got  a  quantity  of  black, 
grubby  honey. 

Five  hours;  loj  miles;  elevation,  6,100;  morning, 
50;  noon  (?);  night,  65. 


96  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

August  15. — Sent  men  back  to  last  camp  to  bring  up 
potto  loads  we  had  been  forced  to  leave.  From  the  top 
of  the  mountain  we  had,  the  day  before,  seen  a  patch 
of  green  grass  back  among  the  hills.  We  went  toward 
this.  A  very  high  wind  blew.  Going  over  a  grassy 
shoulder  of  the  hills,  single  file  among  some  thickets, 
Cuninghame  ahead,  suddenly  a  bushbuck  doe  sprang 
out  and  stood  sidewise  forty  yards  away.  Cuning- 
hame dropped  flat,  his  arms  over  his  ears,  and  I,  firing 
over  him,  put  a  .405  in  her  shoulder.  Very  hard  animal 
to  get,  as  they  are  mostly  invisible  in  heavy  cover.  I 
have  a  buck  and  want  a  doe. 

The  green  country  on  the  slopes  below  the  moun- 
tains we  found  inhabited  by  great  herds  of  game, 
but  extraordinarily  wild.  Through  the  thin  growth  of 
small  trees  with  which  all  this  country  is  sparsely 
covered  we  could  see  them  disappearing  at  the  mere 
first  small  glimpse  of  us.  This  puzzled  us,  but  we 
gradually  evolved  the  theory  that  game  usually  de- 
pend on  hearing  and  smell  rather  than  sight,  but  that 
when  the  two  former  senses  are  nullified  by  the  wind, 
then  they  revert  to  the  other.  In  fact  they  dashed 
off  in  exactly  the  headlong  manner  of  game  that  has 
whided  a  man.  This  theory  of  the  substitution  of  one 
sense  for  another  was  fully  proved  by  the  fact  that 
next  day,  no  wind  blowing  at  all,  we  went  back  to  the 
same  place  and  found  all  the  animals  very  tame. 
They  could  now  revert  for  protection  to  their  usual 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  97 

senses  of  smell  and  hearing,  so  that  the  mere  sight  of  us 
did  not  alarm. 

Zebra,  impalla,  topi,  kongoni,  waterbuck,  and  many 
Bohur  reedbuck,  Tommy,  and  Robertsi  were  there  in 
numbers,  but  we  saw  little  of  them  beyond  the  dust  of 
their  going.  By  extraordinary^  stalking  I  wounded  a 
topi  at  180  yards  badly  enough  to  cause  him  to  turn 
off  from  the  herds.  While  following  him  I  had  a  most 
interesting  experience.  In  a  shady  little  grove  with- 
out underbrush  stood  a  reedbuck,  a  graceful  pretty 
creature  about  the  size  of  our  California  deer.  His 
head  was  up  and  he  was  staring  at  me.  My  course  led 
directly  toward  him.  He  did  not  move.  Nearer  and 
nearer  I  walked,  bolt  upright  and  in  plain  sight,  ex- 
pecting every  minute  he  would  bound  away,  until  I  was 
within  five  or  six  }ards  of  him.  Then,  as  he  did  not 
move,  I  quietly  turned  aside  and  walked  around  him 
about  ten  feet  distant,  and  left  him  in  his  cool  green 
shadow,  still  staring.  And  then,  just  a  few  yards 
farther  on,  I  came  across  a  family  of  sing-sing,  some 
lying  down,  some  standing.  They,  too,  stared  at  me, 
in  noble  attitudes  like  a  lot  of  Landseer's  stags,  until 
I  was  within  thirty  yards.  Then  I  caught  sight  of  my 
topi  and  fired  at  him  across  the  sing-sing,  and  they 
vanished.  All  this  was  under  the  shelter  of  woods 
where  there  was  no  wind.     Killed  the  topi  at  200  yards. 

After  that  we  spent  a  long  time  trying  to  get  near 
enough  to  a  topi  herd  to  procure  one  or  more  of  the 


98  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

four  we  needed,  but  in  vain.  Finally  after  the  fifth 
hard  stalk  I  took  a  couple  of  shots  at  them  running  at 
about  200  yards,  but  missed.  Also  failed  at  a  sing- 
sing  doe  at  about  300.  Again  owing  to  high  wind.  We 
then  started  back  to  camp.  When  two  miles  from 
there  ran  across  a  few  topi  stragglers.  These  animals, 
so  universally  visible  in  the  open,  became  almost  in- 
visible in  the  bush,  even  at  short  range  and  to  the  gun- 
bearers.  Where  never  molested,  as  in  this  country,  both 
topi  and  zebra  are  mostly  found  in  the  light  brush. 
They  come  out  into  the  plains  only  occasionally,  as  do 
impalla. 

These  topi  were  travelling  somewhere.  We  cut  in 
ahead  of  them  and  then  sat  down  to  let  them  get  near 
us.  Killed  one  dead  in  its  tracks  at  148  yards,  and 
another,  ditto,  at  237.  Left  all  men  to  bring  in  skins 
and  meat  and  hurried  toward  camp  to  lay  out  a  kill  for 
Mr.  Blackmane.  It  was  now  near  five  o  'clock  and  we 
hoped  to  find  some  animals  near  the  water.  Sure 
enough,  a  herd  of  topi  and  kongoni  were  there.  Crawled 
on  my  belly  100  yards  in  burned  grass,  emerging 
like  a  chimney  sweep,  and  put  a  bullet  in  a  topi's 
shoulder  at  160  yards.  He  gave  a  bound  past  a  small 
bush  and  out  the  other  side.  Dropped  him  with  an- 
other shot,  and  found  I  had  two  topi.  The  first  had 
fallen  dead  behind  the  bush,  and  the  second  had  been 
standing  there  and  leaped  out  as  the  first  went  down. 
Left  one  for  lion  bait,  and  whistled  men  out  from  camp 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  99 

to  carry  in  other.  This  made  us  rather  more  meat  in 
hand  than  we  needed  for  immediate  consumption,  so  we 
set  every  one  to  making  jerky.  New  one  on  them,  but 
it  came  out  excellently,  and  we  have  ever  since  kept  a 
piece  or  so  about  us  to  chew  on.  Makes  a  fine  emer- 
gency lunch.* 

In  the  evening  driver  ants  started  to  march  through 
camp.  When  driver  ants  start  to  go  anyw'here  every- 
thing else  has  to  stand  aside.  They  are  said  to  eat 
everything  but  tin.  We  headed  them  off  with  a  line 
of  hot  ashes,  and  then  laid  a  thick  barrier  of  more  hot 
ashes  around  them,  leaving  an  appropriate  exit  in  the 
other  direction.  Dolo  got  down  on  his  hands  and 
knees,  shut  his  eyes,  and  was  led  by  another  man 
back  and  forth  all  around  the  donkeys.  He  carried 
grass  on  his  head,  muttered  charms,  and  when  he  had 
finished  claimed  that  his  beasts  were  now  quite  safe 
from  the  chop.  A  donkey  died  in  the  night,  and  we 
heard  leopards  about. 

Morning,  58;  night,  56. 

August  16. — Nothing  doing  at  our  lion  kill. 
After  examining  it  we  went  on  to  the  green  patch 
again  where  our  wind  theory  for  wildness  was  well 
worked  out.  Ran  against  a  fine  bull  eland  and  killed 
him  with  one  heart  shot  from  the  Springfield.  He  was 
a  very  fine    trophy,  but  was  otherwise  an  unfortu- 


*  This  supply  of  jerky  lasted  us  through  the  whole  trip  and  into  the  ele- 
phant country.     I  do  not  know  why  sportsmen  do  not  use  more  of  it. 


loo  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

nate  old  warrior.  He  had  one  blind  eye,  carried  a 
healed  broken  jaw,  and  had  lost  the  end  of  his  tail! 
The  skin  on  the  back  of  his  neck  was  two  and  one 
quarter  inches  thick!  While  the  men  were  attending 
to  the  trophy,  and  pending  arrival  of  meat  porters,  I 
took  fine  close-range  pictures  of  topi  and  kongoni. 
Back  to  camp  by  noon. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  Cuninghame  and  I  went  out 
to  lay  poison  for  leopards  and  I  had  the  luck  to  knock 
a  Bohur  at  120  yards  with  the  .405.  Feasted  high. 
Eland  tongue  is  a  real  delicacy.     Two  more  men  sick. 

Morning,  55;  noon,  78;  night,  58. 

August  17. — Took  a  parting  look  at  the  lion  bait  and 
then  set  off  over  the  low  pass  into  the  other  valley. 
Left  Dolo,  the  donkeys,  and  the  sick  men.  Instructed 
them  to  go  back  to  Windy  Camp,  where,  be  it  re- 
membered, some  time  ago  we  left  two  sick  men,  two 
sick  donkeys,  and  twelve  loads — and  to  bring  up  the 
lot.     We  left  Dolo  six  men  as  help. 

Down  the  slope  of  the  valley  beyond  the  pass  the 
grass  was  very  high  and  wearisome,  and  (in  spite  of 
soot)  we  were  glad  the  country  behind  us  had  been 
burned.  Many  reedbuck  leaped  from  their  beds  and 
bounded  away,  showing  only  heads  and  horns.  Then 
Cuninghame  saw  a  big  roan  standing  in  the  shadow 
of  a  little  thicket.  He  was  208  yards  away,  but  by 
luck  I  managed  to  centre  his  shoulder  offhand.  Ran 
into  the  thicket.      Found  him   there,    and   brought 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  loi 

him  down  at  close  range  as  he  dodged  through  the 
bushes.  Fine  prize,  and  a  big  one.  He  had  been 
wounded  by  a  Wanderobo  arrow  in  the  neck,  and  the 
wound  had  suppurated  so  badly  that  we  were  afraid 
to  use  the  meat. 

Farther  down  the  valley  in  burned  country  again 
we  struck  buffalo  spoor.  Told  the  men  to  turn  sharp 
to  the  left  up  the  slope  of  the  mountain  to  where  some 
green  trees  indicated  water.  There  they  were  to  pitch 
camp.  Meanwhile,  we  tracked  the  buffalo  some  miles 
across  the  burned  area  and  into  the  thicket,  only  to 
have  a  fitful  wind  whip  around  on  us  at  the  last  moment 
and  send  him  ofif  when  we  were  within  a  few  yards  of 
him.  Returned  to  find  safari  camped  at  a  pretty 
green  spring  high  up  on  the  the  slope  of  the  hill,  with 
clear  water,  green  trees,  and  a  far  outlook.  Rained  a 
Httle.     Heard  lions. 

Morning,  58;  noon,  85;  night,  68. 

August  18.— All  the  scrub  and  small  trees  here- 
about are  full  of  small  green  parrots  that  chatter  and 
scream  and  fly  about;  and  monkeys;  and  brilliant 
plaintain  eaters,  the  most  gorgeous  of  created  birds. 

We  started  at  6:15  and  marched  across  a  sort  of 
opening  from  our  interior  valleys  through  the  border 
mountains  that  led  to  the  open  plains.  Across  this 
mouth  was  a  hill  corresponding  with  the  one  we  had 
left  at  our  last  night's  camp.  About  three  miles  out 
we  crossed  a  dry  stream  bed  with  tall  trees  and  ferns, 


I02  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

and  advanced  beyond  it  over  a  burning.  Two  ani- 
mals stood  side  by  side  on  the  black  soil  among  the 
bushes.  Glasses  discovered  them  to  be  roan.  I  sneaked 
as  near  as  I  could  and  dropped  the  first  in  his 
tracks  as  though  he  had  been  struck  by  lightning. 
The  other  ran,  but  stopped  an  instant  to  look  back, 
and  him,  too,  I  knocked  down  in  the  same  manner. 
Distances  252  and  347  yards.  Cuninghame  and  two 
men  remained  to  attend  to  these,  while  I  skirted  the  hill, 
about  halfway  up ;  for  these  were  all  buck,  and  I  now 
much  wanted  a  doe  to  complete  my  collection.  A  half 
mile  farther  on  I  saw  below  me  a  herd,  and  counted 
nineteen.  This  is  assuredly  the  greatest  roan  country 
in  Africa.  At  260  yards  I  knocked  my  doe  out  with 
one  shot. 

We  camped  near  where  I  had  shot  the  first  two,  in  a 
grove  of  great  green  trees  with  a  spring  of  clear  water, 
and  the  hills  behind  us  and  the  plains  before.  Late  in 
the  afternoon  when  the  sun  was  low  I  strolled  among  the 
lovely  high  green  trees  and  enjoyed  the  ibises,  the 
many  reedbuck — and  the  rhino ! 

Morning,  57 ;  noon,  72 ;  night,  64.  Sent  back  men  for 
extra  loads  left  at  the  camp  two  days  back. 

August  19. — Went  very  early  along  the  edge  of  the 
watercourse  in  the  hope  that  abushbuck  might  stray  out 
beyond  his  cover.  Luck  was  with  me,  for  I  ran  on  two 
so  busily  fighting  each  other  that  I  dropped  them  both  at 
forty-five  yards.     Great  prizes.    Luck  is  with  us  here. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  103 

Returned  to  camp  and  we  had  a  serious  talk  over  our 
situation.  Our  transport  is  seriously  crippled.  So 
many  donkeys  have  died  that  we  are  now  quite  unable 
to  move  forward  except  by  relaying.  This  condition 
is  going  to  get  worse  instead  of  better,  unless  we  are 
willing  to  abandon  a  portion  of  our  valuable  equipment 
or  some  of  our  trophies;  neither  of  which  we  want  to  do. 
Each  defunct  donkey  leaves  behind  him  not  only  the 
two  loads  he  has  been  carrying,  but  also  his  saddle, 
pack-sacks,  and  two  sheepskins  that  have  been  in  use 
as  his  saddle  blankets.  The  Wasonzi  told  us  that  at 
the  old  slave- trading  post  of  Ikoma,  now  a  German 
government  post,  some  distance  to  the  south,  we 
could  buy  any  amount  of  donkeys.  They  said  that 
there  are  Indian  trading  stores  also. 

After  discussing  the  situation  thoroughly  it  was 
agreed  that  Cuninghame  should  take  a  very  small 
safari  and  strike  directly  south  until  he  cut  the  track 
from  Arusha  to  Ikoma.  At  Ikoma  he  was  to  mail 
letters;  get  information  as  to  lake  transportation, 
elephants,  buffalo,  etc;  copy  or  procure  whatever  maps 
the  officials  might  have;  get  some  potio;  and  buy  some 
necessaries  and  a  few  luxuries  to  celebrate  on,  a  list  of 
which  we  promptly  made  out.  In  the  meantime  I  was 
to  proceed  slowly  in  a  generally  northwesterly  di- 
rection, searching  out  routes  and  water.  When,  in 
the  course  of  time,  I  found  likely  game  fields  or  other 
items  of  interest,  I  was  to  camp.    At  the  present  camp 


I04  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

— where  we  now  were — we  could  leave  two  men  and 
all  spare  loads.  They  were  to  stay  here  until  Dolo 
and  his  outfit  returned  and  until  Cuninghame  got 
back  from  his  recruiting  expedition.  As  soon  as  I 
knew  where  my  permanent  camp  was  to  be,  I  was  to 
send  back  here  as  many  men  as  I  could  spare.  These 
would  at  once  serve  as  guides  and  as  help  in  moving 
forward  the  spare  stores.  Then  the  outfit  was  to  join 
me  at  my  "game  camp."  Cuninghame  picked  six 
men,  Kongoni  as  gunbearer.  Soli  as  personal  boy  and 
cook,  and  M  'ganga  as  diplomat  and  chief  interpreter. 
Dolo  has  six  porters,  Sulimani  and  the  Toto  on  the 
trail.  There  are  two  sick  men  back  at  Windy  Camp, 
and  two  are  to  be  left  here  as  keepers.  That  leaves  me 
fourteen. 

Since  these  hopes  and  plans  are  now  fresh  in  the 
readers'  minds,  I  will  here  insert  Cuninghame's  notes 
of  his  expedition.  They  are  chronologically  a  bit  mis- 
placed, but  they  give  a  very  vivid  idea  of  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  African  travel,  the  reliabihty  of  African  in- 
formation, and  the  uncertainty  of  African  plans. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

cuninghame's  journal 

Left  Roan  Camp  at  7:00  a.  m.,  August  20th,  for 
supposed  water  near  the  Gaboti  River,  bearing  208°. 
Marched  till  3:00  p.  m.  and  struck  the  Gaboti  River. 
Could  never  get  two  bearings  off  marks  at  one  time. 
Countr}'  all  trees  and  low  lying — compass  giving 
trouble,  not  working  freely.  Dumped  men  and  hunted 
hard  for  water  till  5:30.  Found  no  game,  no  birds, 
and  no  sign  of  a  spring.  No  rises  to  get  a  view  from 
and  bush  hopeless.  Returned  to  men  and  made  for 
nearest  point  on  Bololedi  River.  Men  about  tired  out 
when  I  fetched  up  at  river  at  8:15  p.  m.  Found  water 
and  two  lions.  No  camp  made  but  lay  down  on  the 
river  bed  with  good  fire  and  plenty  food  and  water. 
Men  marched  twenty-four  and  three  quarter  miles,  and 
Kongoni  and  I  must  have  covered  over  thirty  miles. 

August  21. — Left  Bololedi  Camp  7:00  a.  m.,  having 
previously  determined  my  position  (with  a  new  com- 
pass) as  about  one  mile  downstream  of  the  marked 
standing  water.  Set  a  course  and  knew  I  ought  to  cut 
the  Ikoma  track.  Did  so  in  half  an  hour,  and  having 
made  certain  it  was  the  right  path,  held  on  to  it. 
Marched  two  hours  and  only  got  one  chance  of  taking 


io6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

any  bearings  anywhere.  Soon  after  thought  I  could 
see  with  glasses  Nalaro  Rock.  Took  sights  and  found 
I  was  correct.  Distance  about  twelve  miles  ofif. 
When  near  Gaboti  standing  water  (estimated  by  watch 
as  no  bearing  whatever  obtainable)  found  a  sort  of  dry 
reed  bed,  but  no  sign  of  Gaboti  River,  no  game,  no  sign 
of  standing  water,  and  nothing  but  bush.  Held  on  to 
track  for  three  more  hours,  when  suddenly  saw  Nalaro 
Rock  about  two  miles  ahead.  A  real  hard  country  to 
steer  through  as  you  very  rarely  see  anything  but  bush 
and  trees.  Passed  Nalaro  and  made  Londani  River  at 
3:00  p.  M.,  still  on  track.  Found  no  standing  water 
anywhere  and  started  digging.  Got  a  little  water 
three  feet  down.  Men  very  done  up.  Sun  hot.  Dis- 
tance marched  twenty-one  miles.  Am  inclined  to 
think  Gaboti  standing  water  is  dry  now,  and  that  this 
water  is  only  found  two  or  three  months  a  year.  No 
game  at  all  here  but  half  a  dozen  Tommy. 

August  22. — Stayed  the  day  at  Londani  River. 
Men  willing  to  go  to  the  boma  on  the  principle  of  the 
carrot  in  front  of  the  donkey,  but  I  decided  to  hunt  for 
water  in  event  of  my  having  to  bring  donkeys  back  by 
this  road.  Found  sufficient  water  in  one  hole  under 
root  of  big  tree  and  made  it  secure  against  game  and  cut 
a  way  down  to  it  from  the  bank.  Shot  two  male  Granti* 
for  meat.  Saw  large  herd  of  wildebeeste  on  other  side 
of  river  some  four  miles  west  so  concluded  there  must  be 

*  Roberts!  (?). 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  107 

plenty  of  water  in  holes  down  the  river  some  miles.  No 
game  whatever  near  camp.  Heard  Hons  far  distent 
last  night.  Blew  half  a  gale  from  sunrise  to  11  a.  m.; 
after  that  clouded  up,  a  cool  wind  started  again  5:00 
p.  M.  and  blew  all  night. 

August  23. — Marched  twenty-eight  miles  and  made 
Ikoma  bovia  at  5  :oo  p.  m.  Found  Londani  River  per- 
fectly dry;  had  to  dig  for  water.  Only  one  official  in 
residence,  only  two  rotten  dukkas*  one  an  Indian  and 
one  a  Swahih.  Found  next  to  nothing  in  them,  but 
mericani  t  and  wire.  Not  a  donkey  ever  heard  of  in  the 
district!  Sharp  rain  shower  at  6:00  p.  m.  Turned  in 
very  disgusted  with  everything. 

August  24  (Sunday). — Went  and  reported  myself  to 
the  Fortress  (!)  at  11  A.  m.  Found  the  "gaoler"  could 
speak  quite  fair  English.  Talked  for  quarter  of  an  hour 
and  then  he  suggested  I  should  see  him  in  the  office  at 
1 130  on  Monday,  as  he  was  very  busy  over  nothing  all 
Monday  morning.  I  left,  but  sent  him  a  note  at  5  :oo 
p.  M.  about  porters,  food,  guides,  etc.,  suggesting  that 
he  might  get  a  move  on  in  the  morning  by  issuing  the 
usual  instructions  to  askaris.  Got  verbal  message 
back:  "To-morrow  at  1 130  p.  m. "  Felt  rather  amused 
over  it  all. 

August  25. — Went  up  again  at  1:30  p.  m.  and  the 
guard  refused  admittance  till  3  :oo  p.  m.,  saying  that  the 


*  Shops. 

t  White  cotton  cloth. 


io8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

bwana  had  issued  orders  he  was  going  to  sleep  till  3  :oo 
p.  M.  Sat  down  at  front  door  till  three,  when  bugles 
blew  and  nothing  else  happened.  Saw  my  man  at  3  .-25 
in  his  office.  Gave  him  the  correspondence,*  which  he 
read,  carefully  returned  to  me,  and  said  never  a  word. 
Found  he  had  not  acted  on  my  letter  to  him  re  porters 
and  food  for  guides.  Got  him  to  give  the  necessary 
orders  at  once.  Porters  (fifteen)  certainly  available; 
food  very  scarce  owing  to  failure  of  last  year's  rains; 
Wanderobo  guides  most  unlikely  to  procure,  and  if 
obtained  would  bolt  in  a  day  or  so.  After  I  left  him  I 
got  M  'ganga  to  go  and  hunt  the  askari,  who  was  sent 
for  the  derobo,  and  promise  him  10  Rs  if  he  brought  me 
two  derobo  by  to-morrow  night. 

Maps  unknown  here.  The  office  had  only  one  traced 
map  of  very  poor  character  on  the  district  only.  No 
maps  procurable  at  Shirati,  Mwansa,  or  Arusha.  The 
only  way  to  get  any  is  to  apply  to  Daressalaam.  We 
must  make  a  copy  at  Shirati  if  possible. 

Mail  and  post.  Stamps  unknown  here.  No  reg- 
ular mail  service.  Officer  sends  his  mail  when  he  likes 
to  Mwansa  and  will  accept  ours  at  our  risk.  Will  give 
them  to-morrow.  Mail  to  be  sent  off  in  six  days  and 
occupy  six  days  to  reach  Mwansa. 

Steamer  time-table. 'J  Nothing  known  about  sailings. 
Says  that  the  dates  are  continually  being  altered.  (This 


*  Letters  from  Berlin,  etc.,  instructing  all  officials  to  aid  us. 
t  Victoria  Nyanza. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  109 

cannot  be  so.)  There  are  two  steamers  arriving  each 
month  at  Shirati!  One  from  Kisumu  from  the  north, 
and  the  other  from  Mwansa  (the  south);  dates  un- 
known. Lake  steamers  call  at  the  new  port  Musoma, 
three  days  south  of  Shirati. 

Supplies  at  Arusha.  Believed  to  be  good  for  native 
posho,  as  there  is  a  big  population  around.  Con- 
dition of  European  suppHes  unknown.  Supplies  at 
Amala  River  district  unknown,  but  posho  probably 
procurable,  as  natives  plentiful  up  to  four  or  five  days 
east  of  Shirati. 

Big  game  license.  Not  obtainable  at  Shirati,  but  only 
at  Mwansa  and  Daressalaam.  We  may  be  able  to 
arrange  this  by  deposit  at  Shirati.  There  is  no  tele- 
graph or  cable  there. 

Elephant,  Bufs,  etc.  As  the  officer  never  shoots  any 
game  at  all,  he  knew  nothing  whatever  about  it,  not 
even  the  names.  Local  niggers  report  elephant  some- 
where in  Ungruimi  country  south  and  north  of  Amala 
River.     M  'ganga  has  the  information. 

Fly  areas.  All  along  the  Amala  River  cattle  fly  and 
sleeping  sickness  fly,  but  G.  palpalis  not  supposed  to  be 
badly  infected.  Risk  for  safari  very  slight  indeed. 
Risk  for  animals  considerable.  Tsetse  fly  around 
Ikoma  recently  and  seems  to  be  arriving  from  no- 
where and  spreading  every^vhere  all  along  the  northern 
boundary  districts;  hence  scores  of  Masai  and  local 
native  stock  is  beginning  to  die  (in  odd  places)  all  over 


no  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  country.  All  this  is  quite  recent  and  nothing  much 
is  known  about  it  scientifically.  The  only  area  known 
to  be  perfectly  free  is  the  Serengetti  Plains. 

Donkeys.  Unknown  here.  At  Shirati  a  few  at  80 
Rs  and  over.  Plenty  at  Iramba  province,  near  Galano 
Boma.  This  place  is  about  ten  days  south  of  Ikoma 
and  three  days  south  of  Mwansa,  and  it  would  take 
about  ten  days  to  buy  ten  donkeys  from  local  chiefs  at 
15  to  20  Rs  per  ass. 

Musoma  (see  small  map)  is  a  new  deepwater  steamer 
port  of  eight  months  old.  Going  to  be  the  port  of  the 
future,  and  already  many  stores  and  one  European 
dukka  is  established.*  All  European  safari  require- 
ments reported  to  be  had  there. j  One  official  in 
charge.  Mosquitoes  very  bad  there.  Kisumu  steam- 
ers calling  there  after  Shirati  and  Mwansa  regularly. 

Spears.  Very  few  and  the  poorest  quahty;  only 
saw  three. 

Porters.  Wages  at  rate  of  17  cents|per  day  or  5  Rs 
per  month,  with  posho  daily  extra.  No  blankets  or 
kit  whatever.  Wanderobo  wages  at  rate  of  20  per  day 
— or  as  per  arrangement. 

August  26. — Porters  arrived;  only  three  loads  food 
posho,  which  is  all  that  can  be  obtained,  which  same  is 
most  unfortunate,  but  this  district  is  really  most  im- 


*These  glowing  accounts  proved  to  be  considerably  modified  by  facts. 
See  p.  250. 
t  Untrue  at  that  time. 
X  5§  cents  our  money. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  iii 

poverished  owing  to  failure  of  last  year's  rains.  At 
5:30  two  Wanderobo  arrived  and  I  questioned  them 
closely,  but  could  not  get  much  out  of  them.  M  'ganga 
said  that  I  had  better  not  say  too  much,  but  get  them 
off  on  safari  and  then  make  a  shaiiri  as  to  their  accom- 
plishments. Sent  the  mail  to  the  homa,  and  the  Ger- 
man thought  that  N.  T's.  letter  would  not  reach 
Nairobi  till  September  20th.  Dine  in  the  Fortress  to- 
night at  seven  o'clock. 

Officer's  name  Lieut.  G.  Giehrl.  Clear  out  tomor- 
row without  fail. 

August  27. — Started  at  6:30  a.  m.  and  marched  six- 
teen miles  to  camp  marked  on  map  with  two  Wander- 
obo as  guides.  Camped  at  their  kraal  and  found  it  two 
miles  from  any  water,  which  water  was  in  holes  in  the 
Grumenti  River.  On  the  march  met  the  deputy 
Wanderobo  chief  and  he  said  that  we  had  inexperienced 
guides  (as  I  quite  well  thought)  and  that  we  were  to 
ask  for  better  ones,  and  if  we  did  not  get  them  to  wait 
till  he  got  back  early  to-morrow  morning  when  he 
would  try  and  fix  up  a  good  shanri.  Found  it  useless 
to  try  and  improve  on  the  two  men  I  have  already, 
so  after  two  hours'  talk  decided  to  march  to  Bara- 
kupess  water  to-morrow. 

August  28. — Started  at  6:00  a.  m.  and  marched 
nineteen  miles  to  water  near  Barakupess.  Hardly  any 
game  except  a  few  topi.  Shot  one  near  water  for 
meat.    Difficult  water  to  locate,  and  I  have  not  yet  got 


112  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

a  sight  of  the  two  Barakupess  hills,  though  they  can't  be 
five  miles  ofif.  Intend  striking  due  east  for  Dolo  's  camp 
to-morrow.  Derobo  seem  to  know  this  country  like  a 
book  and  showed  me  two  waterholes  on  the  march. 

August  29. — Started  at  6  :oo  a.  m.  and  marched  twenty 
miles  to  Dolo 's  camp.  Map  all  in  error  for  the  last  two 
and  a  half  days.  Saw  lots  of  wildebeeste  and  topi  three 
hours  from  camp.  Shot  one  topi  at  camp.  Found 
Dolo  and  eight  donkeys  alive.  Received  S.E.W's  two 
letters,  and  shall  start  off  again  to-morrow  on  his 
track.     Hope  to  just  manage  to  carry  everything  off. 


CHAPTER  IX 

August  20. — Cuninghame  and  I  parted  company  at 
daybreak.  I  set  out  by  compass,  bearing  for  a  river 
called  the  Bologonja,  described  by  savages  as  running. 
Went  for  miles  over  rolling  burnt-out  desert  on  which 
roamed  a  few  kongoni  and  eland.  Then  saw  the 
green  trees  of  my  river,  walked  two  miles  more — and 
found  myself  in  a  paradise. 

For  three  miles  we  continued  on  down  the  river  out- 
side the  tall  trees  that  constituted  its  jungle.  Then 
we  saw  three  hons,  but  they  got  the  wind  of  the  safari 
and  decamped.  I  chased  them  a  half  mile,  but  nearly 
ruined  my  ex-broken  ankle,  and  had  to  stop  from  sheer 
pain.     Then  we  turned  aside  and  made  camp. 

It  is  hard  to  do  that  country  justice.  From  the 
river  it  rolls  away  in  gentle,  low-sloping  hills  as  green 
as  emeralds,  beneath  trees  spaced  as  in  a  park.  One 
could  see  as  far  as  the  limits  of  the  horizon,  and  yet 
everywhere  were  these  trees,  singly,  in  little  open 
groves;  and  the  grass  was  the  greenest  green,  and  short 
and  thick  as  though  cut  and  rolled;  and  in  the  broad 
hollows  were  open  parks. 

The  Bologonja  was  indeed  a  clear  stream,  running 
over  pebbles  and  little  rocks,  shadowed  by  a  lofty, 

11.^ 


114  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

vine-hung  jungle  of  darkness,  coolness,  little  gray- 
monkeys,  and  brilliant  birds.  When  we  had  pitched 
our  tents  inside  this  jungle  we  found  ourselves  in  a 
green  room  full  of  charming,  intimate  voices.  No  hint 
of  the  fierceness  of  the  equatorial  sun  reached  us. 
Yet  twenty  steps  brought  us  into  the  open  where  we 
could  see  the  rolling  green  hills  with  their  scattered 
little  trees,  and  distant  mountains  here  and  there  to 
the  north,  and  the  high,  noble  arch  of  the  cloudless 
African  sky  in  which  the  sun  burned  all  day  long  un- 
obscured.  And  then  twenty  steps  back  again  to  the 
stream — running  water  in  a  land  of  little  choked 
springs,  of  rare  green  sHmy  pools,  of  rock  pockets 
fouled  by  game,  and  of  long  leagues  of  unmodified, 
unmitigated  thirst;  cr)^stal  clear  water  in  a  land  of 
silt  where  from  year's  end  to  year's  end  one  never 
hopes  to  see  the  bottom  of  his  drinking  cup  for  the 
mud!  Just  to  sit  under  the  palm  leaves  where  the 
breeze  sounded  like  on-coming  rain,  watching  the  shim- 
mer and  refraction  and  shifting  of  the  waters,  was  a 
marvel  and  a  joy.  March  on  four  days  more,  perhaps 
away  from  this  stream?  Not  any!  This  was  good 
enough  for  us! 

In  the  afternoon  I  strolled  over  the  fine  green  hills 
and  revelled  in  the  sight  of  the  game — black  herds  of 
wildebeeste,  like  bison  in  the  park  openings,  topi 
everywhere,  zebra,  hartebeeste.  Tommy,  oribi,  stein- 
buck,  impalla,  reedbuck,  and  others.     Out  of  the  lot 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  115 

I  picked  a  kongoni  at  237  yards  after  missing  one  at 
180,  buck  and  doe  oribi  at  50  and  120  yards,  and  a 
wildebeeste  at  353  yards. 

Never  have  I  seen  anything  like  that  game.  It 
covered  every  hill,  standing  in  the  openings,  stroUing 
in  and  out  among  the  groves,  feeding  on  the  bottom 
lands,  singly,  or  in  little  groups.  It  did  not  matter  in 
what  direction  I  looked,  there  it  was;  as  abundant  one 
place  as  another.  Nor  did  it  matter  how  far  I  went, 
over  how  many  hills  I  walked,  how  many  wide  pros- 
pects I  examined,  it  was  always  the  same.  During  my 
stay  at  the  next  two  camps  I  looked  over  fifty  square 
miles.  One  day  I  counted  4,628  head!  And  sud- 
denly I  realized  again  that  in  this  beautiful,  wide, 
populous  country',  no  sportsman's  rifle  has  ever  been 
fired.  It  is  a  virgin  game  countr}',  and  I  have  been 
the  last  man  who  will  ever  discover  one  for  the  sports- 
men of  the  world.  There  is  no  other  available  possi- 
bility for  such  a  game  field  in  Africa  unexplored.  I 
moved  among  those  hordes  of  unsophisticated  beasts 
as  a  lord  of  Eden  would  have  moved. 

But  to  get  back  to  the  day:  the  animals  were  on  this 
afternoon  a  little  curious  and  a  little  shy.  At  moments 
they  were  as  tame  as  cattle,  again  they  were  as  wild  as 
horses  in  pasture.  In  some  circumstances  the  most 
conspicuously  marked  animals  seemed  quite  invisible; 
and  in  others  the  most  craftily  neutral  tinted  stood  out 
as  plainly  as  striped  banners  in  a  breeze.     At  times 


ii6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  mere  sight  of  the  crown  of  a  helmet  over  a  bush 
would  send  them  flying  with  a  thunder  of  hoofs  that 
fairly  made  the  earth  tremble,  again,  I  actually  had 
several  hundred  animals  trek  solemnly  toward  the 
sound  of  my  rifle  to  investigate  for  themselves  what 
it  was  all  about!  Most  of  the  time  they  hardly 
looked  up  from  grazing  when  they  were  not  too 
near. 

Four  hours;  9  miles;  elevation,  5,200;  morning,  64; 
noon,  80;  night,  73. 

August  21. — Heard  wild  dogs  in  the  night.  I  got 
up  in  the  black  night,  ate  my  solitary  breakfast  by  the 
flicker  of  a  fire,  and  then,  just  as  the  first  milky  gray 
was  seeping  into  the  darkness,  I  started  out  for  a  walk. 
The  ground  was  not  to  be  seen  at  all,  nor  the  objects 
near  the  ground,  only  the  tops  of  trees  like  ghosts.  We 
stumbled  and  moved  slowly,  feeling  our  way.  All 
about  us  we  could  hear  beasts  snorting  at  us,  hke 
mettlesome  horses  stamping  on  the  earth;  or  perhaps 
we  heard  the  short  swift  rush  of  them  as  they  dashed 
away.  Only  when  they  moved  could  we  see  them, 
phantoms,  bits  of  the  same  dim  substance  of  all  the 
rest  of  the  world.  They  were  puzzled  at  us,  and 
curious,  and  very  near. 

And  all  the  time  the  flames  were  spreading  in  the 
sky,  the  fierce,  hot  red  and  copper  and  orange  flames 
of  the  African  sunrise.  They  reflected  on  the  earth. 
We  could  see  a  little  better,  guess  a  Httle  more.     Then 


'   -m  rg-      »■     > 


CONSTRUCTING   ONE   OF   THE   STOREHOUSES   OR   "CACHES       IN    WHICH    WE 
HAD  TO   LEAVE    OUR   SURPLUS   GOODS 


.M.    ui     .<v  K    .,i,jk..Uu-_  oL::.    UK    "  LACHES       COMPLETED 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  117 

all  at  once  some  dilatory  god  threw  over  the  switch, 
and  it  was  light! 

Never  shall  I  become  accustomed  to  the  magic  of 
this  phenomenon.  Whenever  anybody,  white  or  black, 
happens  to  be  near  me,  I  remark  upon  it  to  him;  and 
generally  gain  sHght  response. 

Went  first  to  look  at  the  lion  kill  (nothing),  and  then 
up  the  small  bushy  ravines  on  the  chance  of  seeing  his 
lordship.  Found  where  he  had  killed  an  eland  with 
twenty-four  inch  horns.     Saw  sign  of  greater  kudu. 

The  countr>^  rolled  away  before  us  in  wave  after 
wave  of  low,  sparsely  wooded  green  hills.  The  shallow 
valleys  between  were  without  trees,  and  grassy  as  so 
many  cultivated  parks.  The  eye  followed  them  a  mile 
or  so,  to  come  to  rest  on  the  low  slopes  of  more  hills, 
covered  scatteringly  with  more  little  trees.  In  the 
bottom  lands  were  compact  black  herds  of  wildebeeste, 
grazing  in  close  formation,  like  bison  in  a  park,  and 
around  and  between  them  small  groups  of  topi  and 
zebra — two  or  three,  eight  or  a  dozen — moving  here 
and  there,  furnishing  the  life  and  grace  to  the  picture 
of  which  the  wildebeeste  were  the  dignity  and  the  power. 
And  every  once  in  a  while,  at  the  edge  of  a  thicket,  my 
eye  caught  the  bright  sheen  of  impalla,  or  in  the  middle 
distance  the  body  stripes  of  gazelle,  or  close  down  in 
the  grass  the  charming  miniature  steinbuck  or  oribi. 
These  were  the  beasts,  of  course,  we  were  certain  always 
to  see;  our  daily  familiar  friends,  the  crowds  on  the 


ii8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

street  attending  to  the  affairs  of  the  veldt.  And  as  we 
wandered  farther  up  the  valley,  or  along  the  bordering 
ridges,  we  could  see  also  in  all  directions  down  through 
the  trees  other  scattered  animals  who  had  not  joined 
the  crowds  in  the  valleys,  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 
them. 

In  a  little  open  flat  I  found  a  Tommy  (very  few  of 
them  here)  with  a  fine  head,  so  I  dropped  him  at  157 
yards.  His  horns  proved  to  be  fifteen  and  three 
eighths  inches  (good  ones  in  British  East  Africa  about 
thirteen  inches).  At  the  sound  of  the  shot  a  lot  of 
game  across  the  valley  decided  to  come  over  and  see  us, 
which  they  did,  single  file,  and  at  a  dignified  pace. 
They  filed  by,  400  to  500  yards  away.  There  were 
fifty- two  eland  (how's  that  for  a  sight?)  accompanied 
by  about  one  hundred  zebra,  a  few  topi,  and  kongoni, 
and  eighteen  wildebeeste. 

Then  I  returned  to  camp  and  rested  until  two 
o  'clock,  when  I  took  a  different  direction  over  the  hUls, 
and  to  my  wonder  found  the  game  as  continuously 
abundant  there.  From  the  tops  of  the  swells  it  was 
particularly  pretty  to  look  over  the  tops  of  the  trees  to 
the  green  flats  like  courts,  and  the  wildebeeste  grazing 
on  them. 

At  this  time  we  run  across  a  great  multitude  of 
game  returning  from  a  waterhole.  The  fact  would  be 
evident  enough  to  any  one  within  earshot.  A  great 
chorus  of  zebra  barkings,  persistent,  shrill,  over-power- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  119 

ing,  led  one  to  the  right  spot.  Then  we  saw  the  long 
procession  of  the  beasts  returning  from  the  water  to 
their  accustomed  businesses.  The  great  majority  of 
them  plodded  along  the  trail  single  file,  adhering 
strictly  to  the  path,  looking  neither  to  right  nor  left, 
being  soberly  respectable  as  suits  the  average  middle 
age  of  any  body  politic.  But  alongside  capered  the 
}'oungsters,  kicking  up  their  heels,  racing  back  and 
forth,  biting  at  each  other.  And  always  they  were  aided 
and  abetted  and  urged  on  by  those  striped  clowns — 
the  zebras.  Rank  after  rank,  they  went  by,  each  with 
his  kind — the  wildebeeste,  the  hartebeeste,  the  many 
topi,  the  eland,  the  impalla,  and  all  the  little  flanking 
gazelles — and  so  over  the  rise  of  the  next  hill.  Each  as 
he  topped  the  ridge  against  the  western  sky  stood  out 
sharp-cut,  a  silhouetted  miniature,  then  dipped  down 
the  other  side  out  of  sight.  From  the  direction  of  the 
waterhole  rose  lazily  a  great  cloud  of  dust  where  yet 
other  hundreds  of  beasts  were  awaiting  their  turn,  or 
rolling  luxuriously  after  their  thirst  had  been  assuaged. 
Then  we  followed  over  the  rise,  to  witness  the 
gradual  fanning  out  of  the  procession.  A  little  group 
dropped  off  to  right  or  to  left,  and  fell  to  grazing. 
Others  kept  on  over  yet  more  distant  hills.  Within 
the  half  hour  the  great  herd  had  broken  into  hundreds 
of  little  groups,  scattered  over  many  miles,  and  count- 
less hills  and  valleys.  Again  the  green  lawns  were 
covered  with  the  black  wildebeeste. 


I20  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

It  was  now  time  to  turn  home.  The  sun  was  low 
and  the  shadows  long.  It  is  not  well  to  be  out  in  the 
first  dark  of  Africa.  The  nightfall  is  hungry  and 
dangerous;  though  the  dawn  is  fed  and  safe.  And  when 
the  sun  dips  below  the  horizon,  darkness  comes  as  the 
dawn  comes,  swift  and  sharp  as  the  fall  of  a  sword. 

Here  under  the  equator  the  sun  keeps  very  regular 
hours.  The  difference  between  his  rising  or  setting 
times  in  summer  and  winter  is  only  about  twenty 
minutes.  One  can  count  on  about  six  o  'clock,  morning 
or  evening,  for  those  performances.  It  is  very  handy. 
One  does  not  have  to  estimate  the  sun  as  "an  hour 
high";  he  simply  looks  at  his  watch  and  knows  it  is  an 
hour  high.  That  is  fairly  important  when  one  wants 
to  know  when  to  turn  camp  ward. 

Very  reluctant  to  break  up  this  peaceful  scene,  I 
killed  a  topi  at  243  yards  for  ourselves,  and  one  at  208 
yards  to  send  back  to  Dolo  when  I  dispatch  my  relay 
to-morrow.  Then  Memba  Sasa  and  I  circled  to  cut 
the  stream  some  distance  below  camp.  Near  the  river 
the  trees  are  thicker  on  the  hill.  Here  we  caught 
a  glimpse  of  sing-sing.  Did  some  very  careful  slow 
stalking  and  got  within  150  yards  all  right.  Difficulty 
was  to  make  them  out,  and  to  get  a  shot  through  the 
thick  stuff  even  then.  I  had  to  wait  nearly  half  an 
hour  before  I  made  out  the  buck's  shoulder  clear  enough 
to  shoot.  Dropped  him  in  his  tracks  at  160  yards.  The 
herd  crashed  away,  of  course,  but  one  doe  paused  to  look 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  121 

back,  and  I  got  her  at  2 1 5  yards.  This  made  my  pair. 
Hiked  back  along  the  river  and  sent  out  men  hastily, 
for  it  was  now  near  dark. 

Saw  little  game,  and  no  game  trails  going  to  the  water 
at  the  river!  So  there  must  be  water  out  on  the  plains. 
Many  grouse,  however,  and  some  green  parrots  and 
gray  monkeys.  A  Baganda  man,  named  Maliyabwana 
("the  white  man's  money"),  brought  in  a  long  string 
of  fish. 

Morning,  63;  noon,  73;  night,  70. 

August  22.— Last  night  Memba  Sasa  reported  with 
slight  fever.  Gave  him  quinine,  and  told  him  to  lie  by 
to-day.  Instructed  Ali  to  pick  me  out  a  porter  to  visit 
lion  kills  with  me,  and  added,  "one  who  will  not  run 
away."     Overheard  the  following: 

Ali:  "You  will  carry  the  bwana's  other  gun.  If  you 
run  away  you  will  get  kiboko;  if  you  do  not  run  away 
you  will  get  three  rupees.  If  the  lion  makes  kalele,  do 
not  run  away;  the  bwana  will  kill  him.  If  the  lion  runs 
at  you,  do  not  run  away;  the  bwana  will  kill  him.  The 
bwana  has  killed  many  lions.     Bass !'' 

Sent  back  all  the  men  but  two  to  bring  up  a  relay  of 
goods  from  the  last  camp — "Dolo's  Camp." 

I  myself  started  for  the  lion  bait  just  before  day- 
light, shouting  as  I  passed  a  command  for  the  tem- 
porary gunbearer  to  follow.  I  heard  him  behind  me, 
but  did  not  look  back  at  him  for  a  mile  or  so.  Then, 
behold!     It  was  Memba  Sasa! 


122  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Of  course  I  cussed  him  for  disobeying  orders,  but 
he  swore  earnestly  that  he  was  all  over  his  fever;  felt 
strong. 

"And  perhaps  that  man  will  run  away,"  he  added. 
"Ali  told  him  too  many  times  not  to  get  scared." 
Good  psychology. 

However,  nothing  doing  at  the  kill.  I  crossed  the 
river  and  toiled  to  the  top  of  a  high  cone  hill  for  the  sake 
of  compass  bearings  and  a  sight  of  the" lay  of  the  land." 
I  have  a  strong  desire  to  strike  south  into  the  heart  of 
the  plains  to  see  what  I  can  see.  Found  Chanler's 
reedbuck  up  there,  and  roan  at  the  base.  The  chmbing 
was  rather  hard,  consisting  of  loose  round  lava  frag- 
ments partially  concealed  in  the  grass. 

From  the  summit  I  could  see  pretty  well  in  all  di- 
rections. The  north-and-south  hills  through  which 
we  had  marched  from  Windy  Camp  and  the  Wasonzi 
were  plainly  visible  far  to  the  east.  North  were  many 
hills  and  ranges.  West,  and  very  distant  in  the  blue,  I 
made  out  an  escarpment — two  or  three  days  distant; 
the  Mara  River  must  run  below  that.  Our  own  river, 
the  Bologonja,  flowed  northwest  in  the  general  di- 
rection of  the  Mara;  I  could  follow  its  course  for  some 
distance  by  the  green  forest  line.  That  must  be  the 
direction  of  our  marches  when  Cuninghame  returns. 
It  looked  to  me  as  though  we  might,  farther  down,  cut 
loose  from  the  Bologonja  and  across  the  triangle  to 
hit  the  Mara  lower  down.    But  my  chief  interest  was 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  123 

to  the  south.  As  far  as  I  could  see,  the  same  type 
of  country  persisted — rolling  green,  sparsely  wooded 
hills  and  shallow  valleys.  The  eye  was  stopped  by  a 
sort  of  height-of-land  ten  or  fifteen  miles  away — not 
hills,  but  a  higher  rise  of  the  rolling  country.  A  bold 
outcrop  of  big  rocks  ofifered  absolutely  the  only  land- 
mark ;  and  as  water  was  more  likely  to  be  among  them 
than  any^vhere  else,  I  took  their  compass  bearings,  and 
resolved  to  strike  first  of  all  for  them.  Through  the 
glasses  I  saw  thousands  of  head  of  game. 

Returned  to  camp  on  the  same  side  of  the  stream, 
but  saw  comparatively  little  game  there  owing  to  the 
state  of  the  grass.  There  were,  however,  a  number  of 
topi,  Bohur  reedbuck,  and  impaUa.  Got  my  needed 
Bohur  doe  with  the  .405  at  107  yards.  Near  camp 
caught  sight  of  a  queer-looking  black  hump  sticking  out 
of  the  tall  grass.  When  near,  it  suddenly  unfolded  into 
a  cock  ostrich  and  departed.  We  found  twenty-eight 
eggs.  Only  a  dozen  or  so  were  covered  by  the  bird; 
the  rest  were  scattered  out  a  few  feet,  as  though  they 
had  been  kicked  aside.  This  is  the  slovenly  habit  of 
the  ostrich.  Took  one  egg,  but  it  was  bad;  no  ome- 
lette! 

In  the  afternoon  I  took  one  porter  and  went  out 
with  the  intention  of  taking  game  pictures.  The  sky 
overcast,  however,  and  the  game  had  a  fit  of  being  wild. 
Speaking  of  pictures,  some  time  back  I  heard  Ali  ex- 
plaining the  camera  to  some  shenzis  as  foUows: 


124  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

"  The  bwana  looks  in  the  box;  and  when  he  sees  what 
he  wants  in  the  box,  he  makes  it  go  click-click;  and 
when  he  is  at  home  and  wants  to  see  that  thing  again, 
he  looks  in  the  box  and  makes  it  go  click-click,  and  there 
he  sees  that  thing  even  though  it  is  far  away." 

This  is  so  good  an  explanation  that  I  have  adopted 
it.  By  letting  savages  see  the  image  on  the  ground 
glass  and  then  telling  them  this,  I  can  get  them  to  pose. 

Found  six  good  water-pools  some  miles  "inland. " 

On  our  way  home  we  jumped  a  buffalo  cow  with  a 
calf  a  week  or  so  old.  She  trotted  away  across  the 
open  hills,  buffalo  fashion,  nose  straight  out,  slowed 
down  to  baby 's  capacity  as  a  traveller.  Just  as  she  be- 
gan to  calm  down,  she  ran  plump  into  Memba  Sasa. 
Off  she  went  again  very  frantic,  and,  as  luck  would  have 
it,  she  tried  to  cross  the  stream  at  our  camp  ford!  The 
whole  camp  boiled  out  to  receive  her.     Poor  old  buff ! 

We  spent  the  short  evening  each  in  his  own  fashion, 
I  in  my  canvas  chair  smoking,  staring  into  the  soft 
darkness  or  the  shifting  flames;  the  men  squatted 
on  their  heels  around  their  tiny  fires,  eating  quantities 
of  meat  and  cornmeal,  and  chattering  boisterously. 
Outside  our  little  dome  of  light  the  night  businesses 
of  the  veldt  went  forward.  Only  the  most  formidable 
or  the  most  insignificant  creatures  raised  their  voices, 
except  in  alarm  or  warning.  Lions  roared;  insects 
hummed  and  chirped.  Out  there  in  the  dark  was  a 
different  world  from  that  in  which  we  moved  so  freely 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  125 

during  the  daylight  hours;  a  dangerous,  tragic  world. 
Next  day  we  would  find  evidences  of  the  fact.  I  have 
seen  killed  by  lions  the  remains  of  every  sort  of  creature 
except  buffalo  and  rhinoceros.  Lions  are  said  oc- 
casionally to  kill  even  buffalo,  though  rarely. 

I  had  this  evening  a  long  camp-fire  talk  at  the  gun- 
bearers '  fire,  I  tried  to  describe  to  them  the  different 
sorts  of  big  game  we  have  in  America.  It  was  very 
difficult  to  visualize  for  them  such  a  creature  as  a 
grizzly  bear;  he  was  so  entirely  outside  their  experience. 
I  should  like  to  see  the  mental  image  my  dilution 
through  the  Swahili  left  in  their  minds.  In  turn  they 
told  me  of  their  own  peoples,  and  their  childhood,  and 
the  bwanas  for  whom  they  had  carried  weapons. 

Morning,  61;  noon,  73;  night,  70. 

August  23. — Off  at  the  first  gray  of  dawn  before  I 
could  see  about  me.  A  \-ery  high  wind  came  up  soon 
after  sunrise.  In  the  hollows  I  found  the  game  fairly 
tame,  and  spent  much  time  sneaking  close  for  pictures. 
Took  a  half  hour  to  go  100  yards,  an  inch  at  a  time,  but 
was  rewarded  by  some  excellent  photos.  A  beast  much 
nearer  the  type  of  the  true  Neuman  's  hartebeeste*  than 
that  of  the  Narossara  country  is  found  here.  Thought 
we  had  him  from  British  East  Africa,  but  that  must 
be  a  hybrid  race.  This  is  a  smaller  animal,  so  light 
in  colour  that  he  looks  like  a  ghost,  long  legged,  and 

*The  hartebeeste  in  B.  E.  A.  is  now  described  as  a  separate  species  called 
the  Nakuru  hartebeeste.  Whether  this  can  be  referred  to  that  species,  or 
is  something  new,  I  am  not  quite  certain.  I  shall  hereafter  call  him  Nakuru 
for  convenience. 


126  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

with  quite  a  different  head.  When  in  a  herd  with  the 
ordinary  Coke's  hartebeeste  he  is  easily  distinguished. 
And  beHeve  me,  he  is  shy!  Where  everything  else  is 
tame  he  is  most  difficult  to  approach.  He  evidently 
does  not  take  anything  for  granted  nor  believe  what 
other  animals  tell  him.  Wariness  is  evidently  the  nature 
of  the  beast. 

After  taking  my  pictures  I  cautiously  laid  down  the 
camera  and  dropped  one  at  242  yards.  He  got  to  his 
feet,  and  I  laid  him  down  again.  Off  went  every- 
body, of  course.  I  held  absolutely  motionless,  and,  as 
often  happens,  many  beasts  did  not  locate  me,  and 
came  circling  back.  Among  them  were  two  Nakuru. 
I  sat  perfectly  still  for  a  long  time,  and  at  last  they 
fed  within  range.  Missed  first  shot  at  262  yards,  but 
got  into  the  shoulder  before  they  went.  A  raking  shot 
finished.  Very  much  pleased  with  the  acquisition  of 
these  specimens,  I  sent  to  camp  for  porters,  and  set 
about  taking  trophies.  While  doing  so  three  marabout 
showed  up.  I  fired  three  shots,  and  got  two.  A  herd 
of  zebra  ran  over  the  hill  ahead  of  the  porters  and 
stopped  within  fifty  yards  of  me.  How  they  did  go 
when  they  got  my  wind ! 

On  the  way  to  camp  had  the  luck  to  find  a  small 
herd  of  Nakuru  hartebeeste  asleep  behind  cover,  and 
actually  got  close-range  pictures  of  this  shy  beast. 

Spent  the  afternoon  labelling  specimens,  writing, 
etc.,  as  for  some  days  my  ankle  has  been  so  bad  that  I 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  127 

often  have  to  stop  and  ''writhe  a  bit."  Made  nine 
miles. 

Morning,  60;  noon,  79;  night,  72. 

August  24. — Having  resolved  to  loaf,  I  ate  break- 
fast by  daylight  for  the  first  time  on  this  trip.  Did 
various  small  jobs  until  my  relay  safari  came  in  from 
Dolo's  Camp  about  eleven  o'clock.  Had  them  put 
down  their  loads  and  rest,  with  instructions  to  pack  up 
in  an  hour's  time  and  follow  my  blazes  down  river. 
Intended  to  move  merely  to  a  fresh  camp  at  the  base 
of  the  hill  from  which  I  had  taken  my  bearings.  They 
reported  Dolo  back  at  store.  Four  more  donkeys  and 
the  other  mule  have  died. 

Marched  three  miles  to  foot  of  hill  Memba  Sasa  and 
I  climbed,  and  there  camped  in  the  river  jungle,  clearing 
ourselves  a  shady  place  for  the  purpose.  I  had  just 
lain  down  for  a  rest  when  to  me  came  one  of  the  porters 
in  great  excitement;  he  had  seen  a  leopard  asleep. 
Grabbed  the  .405  and  followed.  Sneaked  quietly 
through  the  green  undergrowth  and  the  thick  green 
shadows.  Finally,  through  the  leaves,  we  saw  below 
us,  about  forty  yards  away,  a  gliding,  silent,  spotted 
creature,  I  caught  the  tips  of  ears,  and  blazed  away. 
]\Iadc  a  good  shot  through  the  brain  and  killed — a 
hyena !  However,  it  was  a  fine  one,  and  nobody  could 
tell  who  the  spots  belonged  to  in  that  thick  stufif,  so  we 
did  not  laugh  much  at  the  porter. 

Then  Memba  Sasa  and  I  went  scouting.     Killed 


128  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

a  zebra  for  lion  bait  at  230  yards  with  a  shoulder  and 
a  raking  shot.  Saw  quantities  of  game,  as  usual,  in 
the  same  sort  of  country  we  had  been  hunting  in,  in- 
cluding both  Nakuru  and  Coke 's  hartebeestes,  separate 
and  distinct,  the  former  as  wild  as  ever,  the  latter  big, 
red,  and  curious,  as  usual.*  Killed  one  of  each,  took 
both  heads,  hung  the  meat  in  trees,  and  returned  to 
camp.  Coke's  105  yards;  Nakuru  in  high  grass  at  130 
yards;  two  shots,  one  miss,  one  hit. 

About  midnight  a  pack  of  baboons  travelling  along 
the  course  of  the  stream  blundered  into  camp,  and 
there  was  a  fine  row.  Evenings  rather  dull  and  lone- 
some; no  light  to  read  and  nobody  to  talk  to.  My 
Swahilij  is  now  about  as  good  as  any  one 's,  so  I  sit  at 
the  gunbearers'  fire  a  good  deal,  and  we  all  swap  yarns. 

This  march  2f  miles;  elevation,  4,950;  morning,  61; 
noon,  79;  night,  73. 

*  Saw  some  apparently  hybrids. 

t  Of  course  I  mean  the  porters'  crude  Swahili,  not  the  complicated  coast 
language. 


CHAPTER    X 

August  25. — Every  book  on  African  hunting,  and 
every  African  hunter  worthy  of  the  name,  will  tell  you 
that  a  lion  will  never  in  daylight  attack  a  man  unpro- 
voked. There  is  no  blither  warrior  than  the  lion  when 
he  is  given  due  cause  to  fight.  You  can  stop  or  turn 
a  charging  elephant,  a  charging  buffalo,  or  a  charging 
rhinoceros  by  pounding  him  hard  enough;  but  not  a 
charging  lion.  If  he  once  starts  for  you,  you  must  kill 
him.  Furthermore,  a  comparatively  slight  annoyance 
will  sometimes  cause  him  to  charge;  you  don't  need  to 
wound  him.  But  unprovoked  and  out  of  hunting 
hours  he  is  supposed  to  be  a  peaceful  citizen.  To-day 
I  had  one  experience  that  apparently  was  an  exception. 
I  struck  out  to  the  southeast,  merely  because,  from  the 
top  of  the  kopje,  beside  the  big  distant  rocks,  we  had 
seen  some  smaller  outcrops  striking  up  above  the  bush 
only  four  or  five  miles  away.  They  looked  nearer — 
from  the  top  of  the  kopje.  When  we  came  to  walk 
the  distance,  we  found  it  considerably  more  than  we 
had  anticipated.  Down  the  long  gentle  slope  of  the 
hills,  across  the  valley,  up  the  long  gentle  slope  on  the 
other  side,  and  so  repeat.     In  each  valley  and  on  every 

incline  we  found  game.     In  one  little  burned  patch  a 

129 


I30  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

steinbuck  lay  crouched  down  close,  its  ears  folded  back 
just  like  those  of  a  dog  that  considers  himself  especially 
virtuous.  In  grass  the  little  antelope  would  have  been 
perfectly  concealed.  Evidently  it  considered  the  fact 
that  the  grass  had  been  burned  as  an  extraneous  de- 
tail for  which  it  could  in  no  manner  be  held  responsible, 
for  it  held  its  position  as  rigidly  as  though  it  had  been 
completely  hidden.  As  a  matter  of  fact  it  was  in  plain 
sight.  To  such  lengths  will  habit  carry  the  conven- 
tional-minded ! 

We  reached  and  examined  the  rocky  outcrop.  Then 
quite  idly  we  turned  down  the  vaUey  in  which  we 
stood.  Along  the  centre  of  the  vaUey  ran  a  shallow 
dry  watercourse  in  the  bottom  of  which  grew  various 
sorts  of  brush.  This  brush  strip  varied  in  width  from 
nothing  to  loo  feet.  Memba  Sasa  and  I  took  one 
side  of  it,  while  Sanguiki  and  the  two  carriers  took  the 
other.     We  had  no  very  definite  ideas. 

For  it  is  great  fun  quietly  thus  to  follow  one  of  these 
little  brushy  ravines.  You  never  know  what  will  pop 
out  next.  It  is  no  good  to  raise  a  row  and  yell  and 
throw  stones.  If  you  do  that,  everything  gets  out  far 
ahead.  But  if  you  just  sneak  quietly  along,  perhaps 
occasionally  tossing  a  pebble  into  the  likely  looking 
thick  places,  you  will  have  lots  of  fun.  In  the  first 
place,  a  cloud  of  little  birds  are  always  rising,  strange 
little  birds,  with  only  the  satiny  sound  of  rushing 
wings  in  common.     Some  of  them  are  brown  and  sober- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  131 

minded,  and  some  of  them — the  various  sun-birds  es- 
pecially— are  the  gaudiest  and  most  glittering  of 
created  beings  outside  the  insect  world.  Some  have  tails 
three  or  four  times  their  o\\ti  length,  and  some  have 
no  tails  at  all.  Near  water-pools  they  are  incredibly 
numerous,  so  that  the  aggregate  of  their  tiny  weights 
bends  down  quite  good-sized  saplings.  Some  have 
a  good  deal  to  say  about  the  situation  and  some  are 
disdainfully  silent. 

Beside  these  little  fellows  are  many  larger  birds. 
Grouse  whirr  away,  or  rocket  high;  guinea  fowl,  con- 
sulting each  other  anxiously  in  clucking  undertones, 
dodge  ahead ;  hornbills  swoop  aloft ;  little  green  parrots 
buzz  about  in  a  sort  of  cinematograph  fashion;  an 
occasional  profane  ibis — profane  in  language  though 
"sacred"  by  name — flops  off  with  a  string  of  oaths. 

Gray  or  green  little  monkeys  gallop  away  ahead,  or 
clamber  up  things  to  take  a  look.  Baboons  bark 
hoarsely,  run  a  little  way,  climb  up  something,  shake  the 
foliage  violently,  and  disappear.  The  souls  of  aviators 
awaiting  human  incarnation  buzz  aloft  on  the  tiny 
aeroplane-like  bodies  of  huge  beetles.  Butterflies  like 
flowers  cling  to  the  tiny  twigs  of  bushes;  and  flowers 
like  butterflies  seem  always  on  the  point  of  flight. 

And  of  animals  there  is  no  end.  Some  tiny  ante- 
lope— a  dik-dik,  an  oribi,  a  steinbuck,  a  bushbuck — is 
always  scrambling  madly  away  from  fairly  beneath 
one's  feet  only  to  dive  headlong  into  another  bit  of 


132  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

cover  where  it  hopes  for  better  luck  at  remaining  con- 
cealed. And  occasionally  some  mighty  crash  brings 
one  up  all  standing,  every  muscle  taut,  every  sense 
alert.  Then,  if  all  is  silent,  comes  maneuvering, 
cautious  reconnoitering,  a  scouting  for  a  sight  either 
of  the  beast  or  his  tracks.  Or,  if  the  crashes  continue, 
a  scurrying  to  and  fro  for  a  point  of  vantage  and  reason- 
able safety.  Probably  it  is  an  old  rhinoceros  disturbed 
at  his  nap,  or  a  stray  buffalo.  If  you  are  hunting 
neither  of  these  creatures — and  we  are  not — your 
whole  desire  is  to  avoid  an  encounter.  To  do  this, 
however,  means  no  unwise  policy  of  concealment.  It 
is  weU  to  see  your  beast  as  soon  as  possible  in  order  to 
know  how  to  pay  due  respect  to  his  choice  of  routes. 

One  practical  word  of  advice:  when  engaged  in  this 
harmless  and  pleasing  pastime,  do  not  carry  your 
lightest  gun  in  your  hand.  If  anything  unexpected 
happens,  it  is  well  to  have  your  heaviest  armament 
where  it  is  handiest.  For  that  reason  I  was  carrying 
the  .405. 

We  wandered  along  down  this  valley  for  two  or 
three  miles;  and  were  just  beginning  to  think  the  sun 
hot,  when  we  came  to  a  slight  widening  of  the  brush 
patches.  Sanguiki  and  his  men  were  out  of  sight 
across  the  ravine.  Memba  Sasa  had  angled  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  to  the  left  with  the  purpose  of  looking 
down  a  hole.  Suddenly  I  heard  to  my  right  a  tearing 
scramble  and  crashing  of  small  brush. 


TYPICAL   HUNTING   COUNTRY   IN    THE   NEW   REGION 


UllLKL    lilL    liH.    Llu.\    1'- 


WHERE  I   THEN    STOOD 
SEE   PAGE    133 


i;w\i    nil.  ^iMJi 


.  o 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  133 

So  vigorous  was  this  crashing  that  I  thought  it  must 
be  either  a  buffalo  or  a  rhinoceros.  The  banks  of  the 
ravine  immediately  at  hand  were  almost  perpendicular 
and  perhaps  eight  or  ten  feet  high;  but  both  upstream 
and  downstream,  and  about  twenty  yards  apart,  game 
trails  had  been  worn  to  a  good  grade.  I  ran  directly 
for  a  point  midway  between  these  game  trails.  My 
thought  was  that  from  this  vantage  I  would  be  able  to 
see  the  beast  whether  it  continued  in  the  bed  of  the 
ravine,  or  whether  it  climbed  out  by  either  of  the  trails. 
This  looked  like  a  safe  plan,  for  no  rhinoceros  or 
buffalo  would  attempt  to  scale  that  steep  bank. 

A  big  maned  lion  leaped  to  the  top  of  the  bank  right 
in  my  face! 

I  was  just  four  yards  from  him.  In  the  fraction  of 
an  instant  that  he  paused  to  assure  his  balance  I  re- 
covered from  the  shock  of  surprise,  swung  the  bead  of 
my  .405  on  him,  and  pulled  the  trigger.  It  would  be 
exceedingly  interesting  to  know  just  the  actual  lapse 
of  time  between  the  appearance  of  the  lion  and  the 
first  shot.  In  reality  it  must  have  been  exceedingly 
short,  for  the  beast  was  caught  between  the  landing 
from  his  leap  and  his  spring;  he  indubitably  in- 
tended to  attack,  knew  just  where  we  were,  and  was 
out  to  make  a  fight  of  it.  Yet  I  apparently  had  time 
to  notice  a  great  many  little  details,  such  as  the  fact 
that  the  lion  had  an  unusually  fine  mane ;  that  the  mane 
was  so  erect  between  the  ears  as  almost  to  point  for- 


134  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

ward;  that  his  eyes  looked  round  rather  than  elliptical. 
Later  Memba  Sasa  told  me: 

''I  said,  'Will  the  bwana  never  shoot!'" 

Nevertheless,  before  the  lion  had  even  tensed  his 
muscles  for  the  next  effort  that  would  land  him  on  me, 
the  first  bullet  took  him.  It  was  an  exceedingly  in- 
teresting example  of  how  rapidly  mid  comprehensively 
the  human  mind  works  under  excitement. 

The  .405  Winchester  delivers  a  blow  of  about  3,300 
foot-pounds;  and  this  animal  was  so  near  that  the  ve- 
locity was  in  no  way  diminished  by  air  resistance.  The 
largest  buffalo  I  ever  saw  was  knocked  right  off  his 
feet  by  a  shoulder  shot  from  it.*  This  lion  did  not 
lose  his  balance,  but  the  force  of  the  blow  thrust  him 
sidewise  as  a  paper  box  is  blown  by  a  violent  gust  of 
wind.  That  he  was  not  knocked  flat  seems  to  me 
remarkable.  Perhaps  the  highly  organized  nervous 
system  of  the  cat  responded  instantaneously  so  that 
the  muscles  reacted  unconsciously  and  at  once.  I 
yanked  the  lever  of  my  rifle  down  and  back  and  put  in 
another.  The  bullet  entered  just  two  inches  from  the 
first.  I  was  shooting  for  the  heart;  the  head  shot  on  a 
lion  is  always  uncertain. 

This  second  shot  again  thrust  him  back  so  far  that  he 
toppled  over  the  edge  of  the  bank  and  down  into  the 
ravine. 

I  ran  to  the  edge.     He  had  recovered  himself  and 


*He  didn't  stay  down! 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  135 

was  again  scrambling  up  the  steep  side,  growling 
horribly.  My  third  shot  broke  his  foreleg.  Steady- 
ing, I  raked  him  from  end  to  end.  He  rolled  over  on 
his  side  still  growling  and  roaring,  biting  the  ground. 
I  watched  him  closely  for  further  trouble,  but  after  a 
moment  he  died.  Memba  Sasa  was  standing  close  to 
my  left  elbow,  the  Springfield  cocked,  five  .405  car- 
tridges spread  ready  fanwise  in  his  left  hand. 

There  succeeded  the  brief  dead  pause  that  always 
seems  to  follow  a  lion  row.  Then  we  shouted.  The 
cry  was  instantly  answered  by  Sanguiki  and  his  men. 
They  had  probably  been  standing  with  held  breath 
awaiting  the  first  definite  indication  of  how  the  fight 
was  going.  Certainly  there  must  have  been  enough 
to  listen  to,  what  with  the  repeated  detonations 
of  the  heavy  gun  and  the  snarls  and  growls  of  the 
lion. 

We  tried  to  carry  the  dead  lion  into  the  shade,  but 
were  unable  to  lift  him.  Therefore  we  constructed  a 
shelter  of  boughs.  A  lion's  skin  is  a  tricky  affair,  and 
must  be  handled  immediately  and  carefully.  He  was 
a  magnificent  creature  with  a  thick  long  black  and 
tawny  mane,  better  than  any  other  wild  lion  I  ever 
saw,  and  almost  equal  to  a  menagerie  beast.*  Never 
expected  to  get  anything  so  good.  Stood  three  feet 
seven  inches  at  shoulder;  nine  feet  three  inches  straight 


*  In  mane.     In  physique  a  wild  lion  is  almost  always  bigger  than    a 
menagerie  lion. 


136  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

line  measurement  in  length.  Very  heavy  beast,  must 
have  gone  well  up  between  500  and  700  pounds. 

Then  Memba  Sasa  and  I  began  to  figure  over  the 
incident.  A  wounded  lion,  or  a  cornered  lion,  or  even 
a  lion  that  has  been  followed  until  he  has  become 
annoyed,  will  attack  practically  every  time.  But  what 
had  induced  this  old  fool  to  pop  out  at  us  so  savagely? 
We  were  walking  along  attending  to  our  own  business, 
which  had  nothing  to  do  with  him.  In  my  African 
experiences  I  have,  up  to  now,  seen  103  wild  lions;  and 
Memba  Sasa  has,  of  course,  seen  many  more;  but  this 
was  the  first  instance  of  its  kind  for  either  of  us.  So 
interested  did  we  get  that  we  determined  to  back- 
track the  beast. 

The  trail  led  us  immediately  into  a  dense,  low,  shady 
thicket.  Bending  half  over,  we  crawled  cautiously  in. 
A  low  snarl  and  the  half-guessed  yellow  of  a  gliding 
body  warned  us  that  the  bower — for  it  was  a  bower,  a 
shady,  pleasant,  cool  little  arching  bower — was  already 
occupied.  Crouching  low,  I  peered  as  hard  as  I  could, 
but  did  not  succeed  in  getting  another  sight  of  the 
beast.     We  crawled  in  farther. 

A  dead  zebra  lay  on  its  belly,  all  four  legs  stretched 
back.  Evidently  it  had  been  dragged  bodily  by  the 
head  or  neck.  Think  of  the  strength  required  for 
this  feat!  We  examined  it.  Except  for  the  marks  of 
its  killing,  its  skin  was  unbroken.  A  wide  swath 
through  the  brush  led  us  out  of  the  thicket  and  fully 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  137 

150  yards  into  the  open.  There  the  kill  had  been 
made. 

"Memba  Sasa,"  said  I,  "he  did  not  attack  without 
reason.  He  had  a  good  reason.  We  spoiled  a 
n  'gnoma  (party) .  He  had  here  his  meat  and  his  bibi 
(woman),  and  he  did  not  intend  to  be  disturbed." 

So,  after  all,  even  this  was  not  a  case  of  a  lion's  at- 
tacking entirely  unprovoked!  We  left  the  carcass  of 
the  zebra  as  bait  for  the  lioness. 

Near  home,  just  before  we  dipped  to  cross  the 
stream  to  camp,  Memba  Sasa  let  out  a  peculiar  sort  of 
howl.  Before  we  had  gone  200  feet  every  man  in  camp 
was  there,  most  of  them  with  their  faces  whitened, 
dancing  wildly  the  lion  dance.     It  was  quick  work. 

Spent  the  afternoon  caring  for  the  trophy,  paring  it 
down,  doping  it  with  alum  water,  and  finally  stretching 
it  in  a  huge  frame,  which  we  hoisted  in  a  tree.  Made 
a  very  mild  joke,  which  lasted  the  camp  some  days. 
One  of  the  Swahili  porters  was  bragging  that  he  liked 
any  kind  of  meat,  lion  included.  I  knew  him  to  be  a 
Mohammedan. 

"Very  well,"  said  I,  "I  will  take  you  with  me  here- 
after, and  you  can  hallala  the  next  lion. "  * 

The  crowd  caught  many  fish.  Walked  13  miles ; 
morning,  58;  noon,  84;  night,  71.  Call  this  mother's 
birthday  lion. 


*As  is  well  known,  the  Moslem  must  hallala — cut  the  throat — of  any  ani- 
mal he  intends  to  eat  while  the  beast  is  still  living. 


CHAPTER    XI 

August  26. — Returned  early  to  the  thicket.  Had 
the  lioness  several  times  within  a  few  yards,  but 
could  not  get  a  sight  of  her.  The  zebra  was  pretty 
well  eaten  up.  This  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  dead 
lion 's  carcass  lay  within  eighty  yards.  Evidently  conju- 
gal affection  did  not  go  so  far  as  to  destroy  appetite. 
Several  hundred  carrion  birds  sat  around  in  neighbour- 
ing trees,  but  they  had  not  yet  ventured  to  the  feast. 
I  have  many  times  noticed  this  peculiar  action.  The 
birds  could  clean  up  an  ordinary  carcass  in  five  minutes, 
but  will  often  leave  a  lion  untouched  for  days,  though 
they  cannot  bear  to  go  away. 

Then  beat  down  the  ravine  for  some  distance,  and 
cut  across  the  hills  home.  At  one  place  a  herd  of  zebra 
departed  over  the  hiU.  A  spoiled  child  of  a  colt,  not  hav- 
ing seen  us,  refused  to  be  hurried  just  because  the  elders 
chose  to  go  off  in  such  a  hurry.  Anxious  mamma,  at  the 
top  of  the  hill,  uttered  impatient  and  worried  commands. 
He  toddled  along,  his  eyes  half  closed,  his  ears  laid 
back  crossly,  replying  every  once  in  a  while  with  a 
sulky,  petulant  bark.  So  busy  was  he  in  having  his 
own  way  that  I  got  within  a  few  yards  of  him.  And 
then  how  he  flew !     "Mamma  was  right  after  all! " 

138 


METHOD    USED    IN   DRYING    LION    SKINS 


MARABOUT    STORK 


A    TYPICAL    UblRICH    NEST.       THi.    BIRD    WAS    LSL,.\oi;U    i:^    <_UW.RING   ONLY 

THE    GROUP    OF   EGGS    IN    THE    CENTRE.      THE    OTHERS    WERE 

APPARENTLY   KICKED   ASIDE   AND   LEFT   TO   ADDLE 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  139 

Crossed  the  river  high  up  and  came  to  camp  on  the 
other  side.  I  found  a  little  flat  bordered  by  palms  and 
the  abrupt  downslope  of  clay,  where  saline  deposits 
had  lured  right  out  into  the  open  that  rather  solitary 
and  most  invisible  little  creature,  the  Bohur  reedbuck; 
so  that  I  saw  them,  twenty-sLx  of  them,  cropping  and 
licking  away  like  deer,  each  ostentatiously  indepen- 
dent of  the  other  in  order  to  convince  chance  passers, 
like  ourselves,  that  spite  of  this  apparent  herding,  they 
had  not  abandoned  their  principles.  Had  to  stop 
and  bandage  my  ankle  in  order  to  get  on  at  all.  The 
thing  is  very  painful  and  is  turning  black.  Hard  to 
walk,  but  the  country  is  too  fascinating  to  permit  any 
one  with  a  wiggle  left  in  him  to  stay  in  camp. 

Reached  camp  at  noon.  A  slight  rain  came  up,  and 
we  rigged  a  very  funny  shelter  for  the  suspended  lion 
skin  out  of  everything  waterproof  we  had.  About 
four  went  out  for  camp  meat.  Soon  got  within  range 
of  topi  across  a  ravine,  and  dropped  two  before  they 
got  away,  182  yards  and  197  yards.  Swung  around 
and  again  climbed  the  hill  above  camp  in  hopes  of  a 
Chanler's  reedbuck  doe,  but  did  not  get  a  shot  at  the 
two  I  saw.  Game  very  tame  to-day.  Winds  baffling 
and  aggravating. 

The  men  working  on  the  skins  are  always  fine  to 
hear,  one  crooning  a  short  falsetto  solo,  and  the  others 
chiming  in  with  a  swinging  bass  refrain,  under  their 
breaths,  busfly. 


I40  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Twenty -one  miles'  walking;  morning,  58;  noon,  80; 
night,  72. 

August  27. — Took  tent  without  fly,  cook  load,  bed 
and  men 's  load,  three  men,  without  burden,  and  staff, 
and  with  this  small  safari  struck  nearly  due  south  into 
the  supposedly  waterless  country.  Had  waterbags, 
and  plan  was,  if  no  water  was  found,  to  return  next  day. 

For  seven  miles  we  continued  in  the  same  type  of 
country,  the  ridges  and  rolling  hills  rising  impercep- 
tibly toward  a  sort  of  low  system ;  and  for  seven  miles 
the  game  continued  as  abundant  as  ever.  Then  came 
recent  burning  with  only  a  few  animals.  I  had  laid  my 
bearing  for  the  outcrop  of  rocks  seen  from  the  camp 
hill.  Got  to  this,  and  began  to  hunt  for  water.  There 
seemed  to  be  none  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  but  a 
mile  distant,  in  a  queer  wide  depression  full  of  grass 
and  with  a  conical  rocky  kopje  in  it,  I  at  last  found  a 
tiny  pool  that  a  little  digging  turned  into  a  spring.  No 
shade  and  the  water  not  very  good,  but  w^e  hung  blan- 
kets over  the  tent  and  boiled  the  drinkables. 

After  a  short  rest  I  went  out  after  the  first  ne- 
cessity, some  animal  for  meat.  Missed  a  reedbuck 
twice,  and  then  downed  a  topi  with  two  shots  at  212 
and  127.  Very  high  wind  and  hard  to  hold  on.  Left 
the  men  with  the  meat,  and  with  the  gunbearers  pushed 
on  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  scout  the  game  and  water 
prospects  to  the  southwest.  We  had  a  heap  long  walk, 
got  down  the  next  watershed  and  found  a  dry  water- 


Y 


^^^ 


ZEBRA,   HARTEBEESTE,   AND   WILDEBEESTE   IN   THE   NEW   COUNTRY 


ZEBRA,   TOPI,    AND    WaLDEBEESTE   IN   THE   NEW   COUNTRY 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  141 

course.  Many  game  trails,  but  no  fresh  tracks  and  no 
game  but  giraffe.  All  waterholes  drunk  or  evaporated 
dry.  I  presume  the  game  ranges  in  here  abundantly 
right  after  the  rains.  High  wind,  constantly  shifting, 
lost  me  a  fine  impalla  head  on  the  way  home.  Hit  him 
and  stalked  him  four  times,  but  each  time  the  wind 
whipped  behind  me  and  finally  I  lost  him  in  the  bush 
(number  four  to  get  away  this  trip).  Sun  terrifically 
hot.  It  is  evidently  impossible,  because  of  lack  of 
water,  to  do  anything  to  the  southwest. 

In  camp  I  found  the  meat-safe  had  been  left.  In 
this  country  of  many  blowflies,  and  where  health  is  a 
precarious  matter  at  best,  this  is  serious.  Called  up  Ali 
and  the  cook,  and  settled  conclusively  on  the  latter  as 
the  culprit.  Fined  him  6  rupees.  Vast  silence  in  camp  all 
evening.     Saw  several  tsetse;  a  strange  place  for  them. 

Nine  hours;  23  miles;  elevation,  5,200;  morning,  62; 
noon,  84;  night,  68, 

August  28. — Off  at  six  o'clock  to  scout  the  south- 
east, in  which  direction  we  had  heard  lions  roaring. 
Laid  out  a  zebra  for  bait  and  flagged  him  to  keep  off 
the  birds — 167  yards.  Topped  the  ridge,  and  came  into 
a  country  of  long,  down-sloping,  parallel  billows,  grown 
thickly  with  small  trees,  green  grass  dongas  in  the 
bottom.  Loads  of  game;  as  much  as  back  at  the  river. 
Found  several  waterholes  over  here,  but  all  fouled  by 
the  game.  Finally  came  to  a  dry  stream  whose  bed 
consisted   of   sheets   of   smooth   rock   and   boulders. 


142  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Among  these  were  several  big  reservoirs  of  good  water 
in  locations  inaccessible  to  the  game.  We  followed  it 
up  for  some  miles.  Found  some  klip-springers.  There 
are  no  cliffs  hereabouts  for  them  to  spring  on,  so  the 
poor  deluded  beasties  live  down  in  the  stream-bed  and 
there  leap  "from  crag  to  crag."  Came  on  one  sud- 
denly, and  startled  him  so  that  he  fell  off  into  a  pool 
and  had  to  swim  ashore.  Here  also  saw  bushbuck 
and  roan.     Giraffe  numerous. 

Swung  back  along  the  broad  low  crest  of  the  height- 
of-land.  Game  tame.  About  3  :oo  p.  m.  and  to  north- 
east of  my  landmark  rocks  found  a  lovely  spring  of 
clean,  cold  water  with  low  palms,  and  blue  lotus 
flowers,  and  flaxen  high  grass  all  around.  Some  strata 
set  knife-edge  fashion  prevented  the  game  from  getting 
at  it.  This  looked  good,  so  I  sat  down  and  sent  a  man 
with  instructions  for  Ali  to  pack  up  and  move  over  here. 
While  waiting  I  shot  a  Tommy  for  meat  (about  100 
yards),  and  took  compass  bearings  to  locate  the  water. 
Tsetse  all  along  this  ridge.  Saw  rock  hyraxes  to-day 
and  sing-sing.  Got  interested  in  counting  game,  and 
made  a  tally  of  4,628  head,  aU  day,  actual  count. 
Beautiful,  quiet,  and  peaceful  sunset  over  the  dark  and 
illimitable  plains. 

Ten  hours;  20J  miles;  morning,  58;  noon,  85;  night, 
66. 

August  29. — Spent  all  day  scouting  to  eastward  and 
southward.     Loads  of  game,  and  another  water — duly 


WILDEBEESTL 


A  MORNING   NAP 

SEE  PAGE    143 


HE    STOPS   IN   CONTEMPLATION 

SEE   PAGE    144 


'"  «■  ■ 

i 

^^^^H 

, 

•Ih^ 

^^m 

■■ 

^^^^^^^^^-^^ 

HE   DEPARTS 

SEE  PAGE   144 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  143 

mapped.  Same  character  of  country.  Killed  a  good 
warthog  on  the  run  at  sixty  yards,  and  missed  a  good 
impalla,  just  at  noon,  at  about  100  yards.  Beat  many 
dongas  and  counted  1,539  head  of  game  before  nine 
this  morning.  Then  quit:  too  much  work.  Sun  very 
strong.  Determined  this  as  a  cracking  game  country ; 
mapped  it  carefully.  Easy  to  get  lost,  as  the  twist  of 
the  country  is  peculiar,  and  there  are  no  local  land- 
marks. 

Ten  and  a  half  hours;  24!  miles;  morning,  56;  noon, 
100;  night  (?). 

August  30. — Got  results  on  our  lion  bait — in  the 
shape  of  eleven  hyenas  and  a  leopard!  The  latter 
leaped  into  the  top  of  a  low  tree — a  fine  silhouette 
against  a  saffron  dawn.  He  looked  at  us,  leaped  do\\Ti 
again,  and  disappeared  before  I  could  get  a  shot.  The 
hyenas  were  of  all  sorts — big,  little,  and  medium;  red, 
gray,  and  brown.  They  vanished  sullenly,  at  the  last 
moment. 

We  then  swung  on  a  circle  toward  our  base  camp  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill.  Across  the  valley  saw  a  rhino 
browsing.  Slung  the  .405  over  my  shoulder,  took  the 
camera,  left  the  men  squatted,  and  sneaked  down  on 
him.  A  little  ravine  lay  between  me  and  him,  and  I 
took  two  at  twenty-five  yards  across  this.  Then  I  let 
myself  down  into  the  ravine,  raised  myself  with  great 
caution  on  the  other  side — and  found  myself  so  close  to 
him  that  I  could  not  get  him  all  in.     Waited  patiently 


144  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 


until  he  moved  to  the  next  bush,  and  then  got  a  fine 
portrait.  After  this  I  tossed  two  very  small  pebbles  to- 
ward him,  not  enough  to  alarm  him,  but  sufficient  to 
cause  him  to  move  on.  As  soon  as  he  was  far  enough 
away  I  climbed  out  of  the  ravine  and  slipped  along 
after.  Dogged  his  footsteps  for  half  a  mile,  dodging 
from  bush  to  bush,  and  occasionally  getting  some  new 
pose.*  At  last  he  emerged  on  the  open  plain.  I 
whistled  sharply.  Instantly  he  whirled  and  started  to- 
ward me  and  I  snapped  the  final  film  of  the  roll.  De- 
posited the  camera  quickly  on  the  ground  and  gave  him 
a  careful  shot  in  the  outside  of  the  shoulder.  No  chance 
to  dodge  in  the  open,  and  I  had  no  desire  for  him  to 
close.  This  turned  him  at  about  thirty  yards  and  he 
went  off  with  a  slight  flesh  wound. 

Nothing  remarkable  then  happened  until  we  were 
quite  near  camp.  Then  I  saw  a  lioness  moving  across 
a  small  flat  of  grass  in  the  valley.  Hurried  down  there, 
but  she  had  disappeared  in  a  donga  where  I  knew  it 
would  be  useless  to  follow  her.  However,  I  happened 
to  glance  to  the  right,  and  there  was  another  loping 
slowly  along  about  125  yards  away.  Opened  fire  with 
the  Springfield  and  got  in  three  beautiful  shoulder 
shots  you  could  cover  with  your  hand.  This  slowed 
her  up.  A  fourth  shot,  as  she  turned,  just  cut  into  her 
tail,  saving  a  miss  but  doing  no  damage.     She  then 

*  These  pictures  did  not  turn  out  as  well  as  I  had  hoped  o^ving  to  the  fact 
that  I  had,  because  of  the  easterly  wind,  to  take  most  of  them  toward  an 
early  morning  light. 


HE   WANDERS   STOLIDLY   AWAY 
SEE  PACE   144 


JUST   BEFORE   THE   RUSH 
SEE  PAGE   144 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  145 

turned  at  bay  in  a  small  thicket.  Followed  her  with 
usual  precautions.  She  thrust  her  head  up  ten  yards 
away,  got  two  .405  bullets  in  the  chest,  and  collapsed. 
Took  lots  of  hitting  this  one.  While  the  men  skinned 
her  I  went  outside  and  killed  camp  meat  in  the  shape  of 
a  topi  at  180  yards  and  another  at  210.  Just  outside 
camp  got  a  w^ildebeeste  at  231  yards.  Thus  closed  an 
eventful  morning. 

Had  just  finished  lunch  when  in  came  Cuninghame. 
We  were  glad  to  see  each  other !  Ikoma  proved  to  have 
no  donkeys,  no  Indian  stores,  no  potio,  no  water  except 
in  holes,  not  even  one  nail!  A  single  German  ofl&cial 
occupied  a  battlemented  stone  fort  with  three  lines  of 
barbed-wire  defences.  Cuninghame  brought  back  four- 
teen naked  savages  as  porters,  and  two  Wanderobo  as 
guides.  The  porters  are  Wakoma,  well-formed,  strong 
copper  men,  quite  naked,  with  pleasant  faces  and  a 
happy  disposition.  They  carry  their  loads  by  means 
of  shoulder  straps  made  of  bark.  Why  this  does  not 
cut  their  shoulders  in  two  I  am  unable  to  say.  Cun- 
inghame and  I  sat  in  the  shade  and  swapped  news 
all  the  afternoon.  He  brought  back  one  tin  of  butter 
and  a  few  German  cigars.  We  also  took  our  first 
drink  of  whiskey  by  wa}-  of  celebration. 

Four  hours;  13  miles;  morning,  56;  noon,  89;  night, 
72.     Donkey  safari  also  came  in. 


CHAPTER  XII 

August  3 1 . — Took  a  walk  with  Cuninghame,  who  was 
very  keen  to  see  the  real  Nakuru  hartebeeste  in  the  flesh. 
We  saw  plenty  of  other  game,  but  found  our  beasts  only 
after  a  long  walk,  six  of  them,  looking  ghost-like  and 
as  though  on  stilts.  As  usual,  they  were  very  shy. 
Repeated  stalks  brought  me  only  within  long  range. 
Here  I  wounded  one.  There  followed  a  long  chase 
over  the  hills  and  into  the  burned  country — I  slipping 
along  under  whatever  cover  there  was,  trying  to  keep 
concealed;  and  the  hartebeeste  always  taking  alarm 
just  before  the  favourable  moment.  Missed  three  times 
at  long  range;  then  landed  the  animal  stone  dead  at 
411  yards.  Tied  my  handkerchief  to  his  horns  and 
slipped  after  the  others.  They  were  at  this  point 
joined  by  a  second  lot  of  a  dozen  or  more.  Through 
the  thin  bush  managed  to  get  a  doe  at  200  yards,  and 
another  at  160.  These  three  specimens  were  most  in- 
teresting. The  first  buck  was  clear  Nakuru,  light  in 
colour,  long  of  leg,  and  small  in  body,  with  the  long 
horn  base  and  the  converging  points  to  the  horns. 
The  first  doe  was  as  plainly  a  hybrid  with  Coke's  harte- 
beeste.    The  second  doe  was  a  good  mate  to  the  buck. 

Of  course  I  had  long  since  lost  track  of  Cuninghame 

146 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  147 

and  the  men.  They  could  not  begin  to  keep  me  in 
sight  and  at  the  same  time  remain  concealed  them- 
selves. I  attached  pieces  of  paper  to  the  horns  of  the 
specimens,  blazed  a  way  out  of  the  scrub  with  my 
knife,  and  took  up  my  back  track.  By  means  of  a  few 
rifle  shots  and  much  whistling  we  got  together.  The 
sun  was  now  high  and  hot.  After  measuring  and  com- 
paring to  our  hearts '  content,  we  skinned  the  trophies, 
divided  the  meat,  and  returned  to  camp.  Our  "little 
stroll"  had  turned  out  to  be  fifteen  miles  of  hard,  fast 
going! 

Another  donkey  had  died.  Reorganized  packs. 
Out  late  to  look  for  marabout  at  our  lion  kill  (two  and  a 
half  miles  more),  but  found  none.  Saw  some  bush- 
buck. 

In  the  evening  IM'ganga  was  evidently  a  great  so- 
cial success  with  the  Wakoma,  as  he  elicited  shouts 
of  laughter  from  their  campfire.  M'ganga  is  quite 
a  wonder  as  a  linguist.  He  talks  fluently  Swahili, 
Masai,  Monumwezi,  Wakamba,  Wasonzi,  \\'akoma, 
and  Ungruimi.  Our  two  wild  men,  the  Wanderobo, 
got  restless,  as  they  generally  do,  and  wanted  to  go. 
We  gave  them  permission — if  they  cared  to  do  so  with- 
out wages.  They  promptly  departed  into  the  howling 
wilderness  without  food,  and  most  certainly  without 
clothes. 

Morning,  66;  noon,  84;  night,  74. 

September    i. — Off   at   6:15    ahead   of   the   safari. 


148  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

following  the  course  of  the  river.  Character  of  the 
country  remained  about  the  same — rolling,  thinly 
wooded  green  hills  to  the  left,  with  wide  green  valleys 
between ;  the  river,  with  a  narrow  strip  of  high  trees ;  and 
higher  hills  some  distance  back  on  the  other  side.  Many 
taU,  slim  pahns  with  tufted  tops,  growing  singly  and  in 
groups.  About  a  mile  down  we  saw  a  baboon  family 
or  tribe  of  fifty  or  sixty  that  had  not  yet  arisen.  These 
animals  rest  in  the  tops  of  the  taU  trees,  so  as  to  escape 
the  leopards.  They  take  a  good  grip  with  their  hind 
hands,  hump  up  in  a  furry  ball,  and  sleep.  The  main 
lot  discovered  us  and  made  off;  but  one  old  gentleman, 
undisturbed  by  the  noise  of  the  exodus,  slumbered  on 
aU  alone.  When  he  did  wake  up  and  discover  us  below 
him,  he  uttered  some  shocking  language. 

About  four  miles  on  saw  a  big  bull  eland  and  a  cow 
feeding  together  in  a  glade  between  two  ravines  that 
here  come  into  the  river.  By  crawling  some  distance 
I  got  within  range,  and  gave  him  one  in  the  point  of 
the  shoulder.  He  leaped  forward.  My  second  shot 
was  intercepted  by  a  tree.  Third  caught  him  running, 
other  shoulder,  at  about  200  yards.  Then  I  made  two 
good  running  shots  through  timber  at  about  300  yards, 
and  he  came  down.  Left  the  gunbearers  to  care  for  him 
and  went  on  down  and  made  camp  among  the  date 
palms  by  the  river;  twelve  miles.  Sent  men  back  for 
meat  and  loafed.  Got  hold  of  some  fly-blown  meat, 
and  am  not  well,  for  the  first  time  on  this  trip. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  149 

Elevation,  4,600;  morning,  66;  noon,  89;  night,  73. 

September  2. — We  knew  this  stream  flowed  into  the 
Mara  River,  so  considered  it  useless  to  follow  the  two 
sides  of  the  triangle.  Therefore  when  we  judged  the 
time  right  we  took  compass  bearings  and  struck  across 
on  the  hypothenuse. 

For  some  distance  the  country  remained  the  same, 
then  the  hills  increased  slightly  in  height,  the  grass 
turned  high  and  brown,  and  in  the  creases  between  the 
hills  were  strips  of  dense  jungle  through  which  we  had 
to  chop  a  toilsome  way.  The  prospect  was  exceedingly 
beautiful,  for  one  could  see  far  abroad,  and  the  winding 
green  strips  of  jungle  patterned  the  country.  But 
it  was  ver>'  hard  work.  Almost  no  game.  Plenty  of 
pool  water  in  the  ravines.  Marched  and  marched, 
and  at  noon  found  ourselves  near  a  lone  rock  kopje  at 
the  end  of  a  rise  of  land.  This  was  an  excellent  land- 
mark, and  we  took  bearings  by  it  for  a  week  or  so  here- 
after. We  could  thence  look  back  across  billowing 
oceans  of  scrub  trees  and  grass  to  where  our  hills  of  the 
Lion  Camp  showed  dim  and  lone  and  blue.  To  the 
south  the  ocean-like  plain  led  to  infinity.  To  the  west 
was  a  long  pearly  escarpment  running  unbroken  toward 
the  north.  Somewhere  between  us  and  it  must  be  the 
Mara. 

Here  near  this  kopje  was  some  game — zebra,  topi, 
hartebeeste,  and  a  lioness  that  looked  at  us  from  a  dis- 
tance.    We  had  no  time  for  anything  but  business,  for 


ISO  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

although  it  was  a  certainty  that  the  Mara  was  some- 
where ahead,  no  one  could  guess  how  far  it  was  even 
likely  to  be.  We  angled  on  in  our  probable  direction, 
struggling  over  hills  tangled  high  with  grass,  chopping 
our  way  foot  by  foot  through  the  too-frequent  wide 
jungles.  In  these  jungles  the  forest  was  not  only  fine 
and  high,  but  it  was  also  tangled,  dense,  and  broad. 
Very  hard  work  for  me,  as  I  was  still  a  bit  ill,  and  the 
sun  was  very  strong.  At  about  three  o'clock  we  left 
Sanguiki  to  tell  Dolo  to  camp  the  donkeys,  and  to  come 
on  next  morning;  we  feared  the  hard  work  would  kiU 
our  few  remaining  beasts.  At  five  o  'clock  we  had  not 
reached  the  river,  though  we  knew  it  could  not  be  far 
ahead.  Cuninghame  and  I  separated  and  began  to 
look  for  water  wherever  we  saw  palms.  At  last  found 
some  beautiful  clear  pools  filtered  through  gravel  to  a 
delicious  coolness.  It  was  alkaline  but  not  undrinkable. 
When  the  safari  came  singing  and  shouting  in,  we 
camped.  The  more  tired  out  your  African  is  the 
louder  he  sings. 

No  sooner  was  camp  made  than  we  were  treated  to 
a  smasher  of  a  tropical  thunderstorm.  One  of  the 
Wakoma  stood  out  stark  naked  in  the  rain,  his  arms 
upraised.  To  every  clap  of  thunder  he  shouted  back 
an  answer  in  a  loud  tone  of  voice.  When  the  storm 
had  died  he  still  remained,  and  would  promptly  catch 
up  and  answer  each  and  every  diminishing  peal.  He 
was  a  fine  sight,  as  he  was  revealed  by  the  flashes — 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  151 

the  upright  pose,  the  rain  streaming  from  his  glistening 
body,  the  flicker  of  his  metal  ornaments.  M'ganga,  later 
appealed  to,  said  that  he  was  the  official  Thunder  Lord 
for  his  people.  He  was  saying,  "Go  away!  Go  this 
way!  Go  that  way!  You  like  to  sit  on  high  hills! 
There  are  no  high  hills  here!  Go  to  Ikorongo:  there 
are  high  hills ! "  He  had  also  put  "medicine "  in  a  tree 
in  camp.  I  asked  M'ganga  if  he  himself  believed  in 
this.  He  grinned  quietly,  and  replied:  "Well — the 
rain  has  gone." 

Ten  and  three  quarter  hours;  25 J  miles;  morning,  62; 
noon  (?);  night,  72. 

September  3. — Instructed  the  men  to  remain  until 
the  donkeys  appeared,  and  then  to  pack  up.  Cun- 
inghame,  the  gunbearers,  and  I  pushed  on  to  find  the 
river.  Found  it  within  a  mile,  but  so  far  inside  a  dense 
jungle  that  we  were  glad  we  had  camped  where  we  did. 
We  turned  sharp  to  the  right  and  with  some  difficulty 
made  our  way  through  the  mile-wide  jungle  of  the 
ravine  by  which  we  had  camped,  and  found  ourselves 
in  open  country  again,  with  game.  Here  the  river- 
side jungle  narrowed  to  a  mere  strip.  We  pushed  our 
way  through  it  and  looked  down  on  the  Mara.  It  was 
a  real  surprise.  Flowing  as  it  here  does  between  high 
banks  the  eye  passes  across  it  easily  to  the  hills  beyond. 
As  a  consequence  one  expects  only  a  small  stream.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  it  was  here  fifty  yards  wide,  and  with 
a  deep,  strong,  swirling  brown  current  that  indicated 


152  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

great  depth.  No  swimmer  could  cross  it.  It  is  sev- 
eral times  the  size  of  the  Tana,  for  example.  At  this 
moment  it  seemed  to  be  in  flood,  yet  the  swollen 
current  may  be  a  normal  condition  for  all  I  know. 
Certainly  the  rainy  season  is  long  past.  Farther  up- 
stream it  widened  to  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  but  even  there 
proved  unfordable.  This  is  the  river  from  whose 
lower  reaches  near  the  lake  come  persistent  reports  of 
the  amphibious  beast  "big  as  a  crocodile,  but  with 
long  hair."  There  may  be  something  in  it:  the  report 
comes  from  a  great  many  independent  sources.  One 
white  man  of  otherwise  mild  imagination  claims  to 
have  wounded  one.     We  did  not  see  any ! 

We  rather  gave  up  the  notion  of  slipping  across  to 
where  we  had  heard  some  lions,  and  turned  north. 
Here  we  saw  topi,  Nakuru  hartebeeste,  zebra,  reedbuck, 
impalla,  and  oribi,  and  a  number  of  sing-sing.  Among 
them  was  the  noblest  buck  I  had  ever  seen.  Had 
with  us  only  the  .405,  as  this  was  a  scout  not  a  hunt; 
but  I  took  that.  He  proved  very  shy,  and — as  some- 
times happens  — there  was  too  much  game ;  it  served  to 
warn  him.  At  last,  seeing  that  I  would  get  no  nearer, 
and  that  he  was  next  due  to  skip  out  entirely,  I  made  a 
very  careful  estimate  of  the  distance  as  400  yards,  set 
the  sight  up  four  notches,  sat  down,  and  let  drive.  By 
the  sheerest  fluke  in  the  world  the  bullet  took  him 
through  the  heart — 411  yards.  His  horns  went  thirty- 
four  and  a  half  inches  with  a  spread  of  twenty-eight 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  153 

inches.  A  twenty-six  to  twenty-eight  inch  length  is 
considered  extra  good. 

We  then  sent  for  the  safari  and  made  camp  right  in 
the  middle  of  an  isolated  thicket,  cutting  ourselves 
burrows  and  chambers  in  which  to  set  the  tents.  The 
sun  here  is  very  powerful  at  noon.  Rather  seedy,  so 
rested.  Cuninghame  went  out  to  look  for  a  possible 
way  across  the  river,  and  to  shoot  another  beast  for  our 
complement  of  meat.  Shortly  he  sent  in  a  topi.  Re- 
turning later,  he  reported  finding  islands  and  possible 
bridge  route  five  miles  up.     Saw  giraffe  and  eland. 

At  dusk  the  Wakoma  came  to  us  in  a  body. 

"We  want  to  go  home, "  said  they. 

This  was  a  facer,  as  we  would  not  get  far  without 
them.  They  seemed  to  have  no  complaint,  but  only 
to  have  become  restless  and  uneasy.  Their  minds, 
however,  were  quite  made  up.  First,  we  spread  out  a 
big  blank  book,  called  each  man  up,  asked  him  his 
name  and  the  name  of  his  Sultan,  making  a  great  and 
elaborate  pretence  of  writing  him  down.  All  this  very 
deliberate  and  slow,  so  as  to  get  them  well  impressed 
with  the  seriousness  of  the  occasion.  Then  we  told 
them  that  we  would  send  them  back  in  twelve  days, 
when  we  reached  the  tribe  of  the  Ungruimi.  After 
that  we  called  each  man  up  by  name,  asked  him  if  he 
individually  insisted  on  going  home,  and  on  receiving 
his  answer  caused  him  to  stand  aside  from  the  group. 
Thus  singled  out  not  one  had  the  nerve  to  say  he  would 


154  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

go.  Then  we  dismissed  the  lot  without  further  shauri. 
They  appeared  quite  satisfied. 

Dolo  drifted  in,  reporting  another  donkey  dead. 
Heard  leopards,  lions,  and  hyenas. 

Elevation,  4,100  feet;  8  miles;  morning,  51;  noon,  91; 
night,  78. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

September  4. — Left  Dolo  and  the  donkeys — six  re- 
main— and  went  up  river  to  Cuninghame's  bridge  site. 
Kongoni  and  I  deflected  to  the  right  to  get  some  meat 
for  (a)  Dolo  and  Company,  and  (b)  the  men  we  were 
sending  back  to  the  Simba  Camp  to  bring  on  the  stores 
we  had  had  to  leave.  The  game  had  a  wild  day,  but 
after  a  Uttle  trouble  I  got  within  distance  and  laid  out 
two  topi,  one  with  two  shots  at  260  and  217  yards,  and 
the  other  with  one  at  227.  We  then  cut  across  country 
and  caught  Cuninghame  just  as  he  was  making  camp 
in  a  thicket. 

Tackled  the  river.  Some  tall  slim  palms  grew  at  the 
very  water 's  edge  opposite  an  island.  We  felled  several, 
the  tops  of  which  caught  the  current  so  that  they  were 
swept  away,  but  finally  got  one  to  stick  against  the 
island.  A  boy  swarmed  across  it  carrying  a  rope.  Thus 
we  had  communication  estabUshed.  By  felling  other 
palms  and  dragging  them  we  finally  made  a  teetery 
sort  of  footing.  Crossed  the  island  to  look  at  the  other 
branch  of  the  river.  It  was  more  of  a  problem  be- 
cause there  were  no  palms  on  the  island,  though  plenty 
on  the  other  bank.  A  volunteer  managed  to  swim 
over,  at  great  risk.     He  caught  a  rope  and  made  it 

15s 


156  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

fast,  and  others  soon  joined  him.  Two  hours  of  labour 
then  bridged  the  other  channel.  Then  Cuninghame 
and  I  took  our  guns  and  went  to  explore  for  a  camp 
site  on  the  other  side,  and  the  boys  went  fishing.  We 
stooped  and  crawled  by  hippo  trails  for  half  a  mile — 
and  found  we  were  not  on  mainland  at  all,  but  on  an- 
other island  with  the  bulk  of  the  river  still  ahead! 
Furthermore,  this  arm  could  not  possibly  be  bridged: 
it  was  altogether  too  wide  and  swift.  Scouted  both 
ways  and  found  a  possible  ford,  but  even  there  the 
water  was  running  fast  and  deep.  Natives  could  get 
across  all  right  without  loads,  after  which  we  would 
string  a  strong  handline  and  cling  to  that.  While  Cun- 
ninghame  was  attending  to  this,  I  agreed  to  return 
and  scout  farther  up  the  river  for  any  other  easier  way. 
Went  some  miles,  enjoyed  fine,  broad-beaten  hippo 
trails,  and  returned  about  dark.  Had  one  interesting 
experience.  As  I  was  going  very  silently  through  a 
dense  green  jungle,  I  stopped  to  admire  a  giant  guinea 
fowl  strutting  about  in  a  tiny  glade.  Suddenly  some 
animal  incredibly  swift  and  active  made  four  great 
bounds  and  grabbed  at  the  bird.  It  just  escaped.  So 
quickly  did  the  beast  rush  that  actually  I  could  not 
make  out  what  it  was  until  it  stopped.  Then  I  saw  it 
to  be  a  baboon.  I  had  no  idea  they  could  move  so  fast. 
He  sat  on  his  haunches  gazing  philosophically  after  the 
escaped  bird,  and  I  could  fancy  him  saying,  "Missed, 
by  gosh!"     I  found  no  ford. 


ONE    OF    THE    CllANNLLh    OF     iHt    MARA    RIVER 


CONSTRUCTING    A    BRIDGE    ACROSS    ONE    OF    THE    NUMEROUS    CHANl.l-Lr.    UL 

THE    MARA   RIVER 

SEE  PAGE  1 55 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 


o/ 


Cuninghame  and  men  back  late  and  wet.  They  had 
strung  the  rope,  and  had  got  across  through  water 
breast  deep  over  huge  slippery  boulders,  only  to  find 
themselves  on  a  third  island  beyond  which  the  river 
flowed  ten  feet  deep  and  forty  feet  wide.  There  was 
nothing  for  this  but  a  block  and  tackle,  but  first  we  had 
to  get  a  line  across.  By  means  of  many  tosses  from 
the  ends  of  long  poles  Cuninghame  at  last  got  a  knot 
to  jam  in  a  palm  root.  A  volunteer  went  across  on  this 
and  made  fast.    Then  they  left  it  until  to-morrow. 

Heard  Kongoni  express  the  situation  thus: 

"When  we  had  finished  the  bridges  we  thought  we 
had  caught  (kamata)  the  river;  but  it  turned  out  to  be 
only  a  toto. "  * 

One  and  a  half  hours;  5  miles;  elevation,  4,200; 
morning,  66;  noon,  84;  night,  68. 

September  5. — Crossed  the  river  in  two  hours  by  (a) 
three  bridges,  (b)  a  deep  ford  with  handline,  and  (c)  by 
block  and  tackle.  Slung  the  loads  over  first  with  the 
pulley,  then  lowered  the  rope  to  water  level  and  dragged 
ourselves  over  hand  over  hand.  Some  of  the  men, 
notably  the  Kavirondo,  were  quick  and  handy;  but 
others  spluttered  and  ducked  and  kicked  and  splashed 
something  wonderful !  We  camped  on  the  high  ground 
the  other  side,  and  proceeded  to  dry  out.  Left  the  rope 
in  place  for  our  return. 

After  lunch  Cuninghame  and  I  scouted  across  a 


*  Baby — young  one. 


iS8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

high  grass  plateau  with  a  few  scattered  thorn  trees. 
Here  were  again  marvellous  swarms  of  game.  I  should 
be  afraid  to  say  how  many  we  saw  in  that  short  walk, 
mainly  topi,  zebra,  hartebeeste,  and  wildebeeste,  but 
with  a  very  fair  number  of  Tommy  and  oribi.  Shot  a 
zebra  at  207  yards  for  camp  meat. 

Walked  8  miles;  morning,  60;  noon,  90;  night,  70. 

September  6. — Set  off  on  a  compass  bearing  for  a 
reported  swamp  close  under  the  escarpment.  There 
we  hoped  to  find  buffalo.  We  are  now  in  a  triangle 
framed  by  a  bend  of  the  river  and  the  escarpment, 
twenty  miles  by  eight  or  ten.  Followed  the  bearing 
for  a  while,  then  were  turned  aside  for  some  miles  by 
persistent  Hon  roaring.  After  a  bit  ran  out  of  game 
and  into  high  grass,  so  gave  that  up  and  swung  back  to 
our  original  plan.  At  this  place  shot  a  Tommy  three 
times  at  123  yards  before  he  left  his  feet,  though  he  did 
not  move  twenty  yards.  This  ended  a  long  streak  of 
pretty  good  shooting,  for  I  have  killed  fifty  out  of  the 
fifty-three  animals  last  shot  at.  Now  I  came  due  for  a 
rotten  spell  of  two  or  three  days,  attributable  possibly 
to  noon  marching  and  great  heat.  After  quitting  work 
from  twelve  to  four  for  a  few  days  I  got  back  my  luck. 

We  slogged  along  doggedly  over  the  open  country 
toward  the  escarpment.  The  game  steadily  diminished. 
About  five  0  'clock  I  just  scraped  a  wildebeeste  and  got 
no  further  chance,  so  camp  was  meatless.  We  have 
had  no  trouble  finding  water  heretofore,  and  antici- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  159 

pated  none  so  near  the  escarpment;  but  not  a  drop  was 
to  be  found  even  in  the  most  likely  places.  Ever>^body 
hot,  tired,  and  dry  after  a  hard  march.  Things  looked 
mean;  but  finally  we  found  two  gallons  or  so  among  the 
stones  of  a  donga.  Energetic  digging  developed  barely 
enough  to  get  on  with.  Saw  three  Wanderobo  who 
fled  wildly,  and  would  not  be  persuaded  near  us  at  all. 
An  old  man  later  proved  more  friendly  and  allowed  us 
to  give  him  a  shoulder  of  Tommy,  in  return  for  which 
he  gave  us  the  valuable  information  that  there  was  no 
other  water,  but  that  the  swamp  was  just  below.  A 
heavy  storm  with  wind  and  rain  swooped  down  on  us  in 
the  evening. 

Nine  and  a  half  hours;  20J  miles;  morning,  51 ;  noon, 
96;  night,  71. 

September  7. — Followed  the  dry  donga  down  to  the 
swamp.  It  was  a  beautiful  green  jewel  set  in  wooded 
hiUs,  about  three  miles  long  and  one  mile  wide.  Its 
tall  reeds  swayed  and  rustled  in  the  wind,  and  here  and 
there  gleamed  patches  and  glimpses  of  water.  In  this 
dry  and  parched  country  it  was  a  refreshment  to  the  eye 
and  a  delight  to  the  spirit.  Its  shallows  should  have 
been  alive  with  the  little  waders,  its  deeps  with  water- 
fowl, its  whole  area  vocal  with  the  delightful  cries, 
squawks,  whistles,  and  eerie  calls  of  the  marshland ;  over- 
head should  have  wheeled  innumerable  birds  stooping 
to  its  myriad  insects.  There  were  none  of  these  things. 
Not  one  living  creature  did  we  see.     It  was  the  abode 


i6o  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

of  dead  stillness.  Wondering,  we  tramped  around  the 
head  of  it.  There  were  no  tracks  in  its  mud  nor  through 
its  grasses.  A  half-dozen  small  green  mounds  elevated 
six  feet  above  the  surface  proved  to  be  springs,  with 
the  water  standing  in  pools  or  gushing  out  from  their 
crater-like  tops.  This  water  was  strongly  mineral  (per- 
haps arsenical?)  which  may  account  for  the  absence 
of  hfe. 

At  any  rate  this  was  a  disappointment.  The  swamp 
was  here  all  right:  ideal  in  size  and  location  to  have 
accumulated  all  the  buffalo  of  the  region.  Only  it  was 
the  wrong  sort.  At  least  that  was  knowledge;  so  we 
jotted  down  the  fact,  and  prepared  to  return.  Having 
nothing  else  to  do  with  the  day  we  resolved  to  drive  a 
coarse  grass  swale  for  lions.  Sent  messengers  to  camp 
to  turn  out  the  men,  and  sat  down  to  wait.  Somehow 
they  mistook  their  orders  and  spoiled  the  beat. 

"Let's  get  out  of  here,"  said  we  disgustedly. 

So  we  returned  to  camp,  packed  up,  and  got  underway 
at  10:40.  It  was  no  time  of  day  to  travel,  but  we 
were  anxious  to  get  on.  Took  a  compass  bearing  that 
should  bring  us  to  the  river  a  short  day 's  march  below 
our  bridge.  On  this  course  we  found  the  swells  of  the 
plains  broke  in  rough  stony  points,  with  fiats  and  turret- 
like kopjes  below.  In  one  of  these,  about  noon,  we  saw 
three  lions  about  200  yards  distant;  but,  without  actu- 
ally running  away,  they  kept  ahead  of  us,  and  we  could 
not  get  even  a  snapshot  at  their  gliding  yellow  bodies 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  i6i 

in  the  thin  scrub.  Pretty  hot  and  winded  we  stopped 
a  few  moments,  then  went  on.  Very  strong  sun. 
Game  came  in  streaks,  first  a  barren  country,  then 
plenty  of  it.  Thunder  was  brewing  in  all  directions. 
We  are  now  approaching  the  Little  Rains.  The  day 
starts  overcast,  soon  clears  to  a  hot  noon  and  after- 
noon, then  gathers  at  dusk  to  great  piled  clouds  and 
peals  of  thunder  and  jagged  lightning  and  a  tremen- 
dous downpour  somewhere.  Sometimes  it  hits  us; 
again  we  see  it  in  the  distance. 

Toward  four  o'clock  began  to  think  of  meat.  I 
missed  a  waterbuck  at  long  range  (about  350  yards), 
and  then  a  hartebeeste  twice  at  about  200  yards.  Soon 
after  struck  tangling  long  grass  with  a  high  hill  beyond, 
and  apparently  a  grassy  donga  between.  Looked  like 
a  long  distance  yet,  as  evidently  we  must  surmount  the 
high  hill  before  we  could  come  to  the  river.  Then  we 
marched  to  the  donga — and  found  it  the  river,  big  and 
deep  as  ever,  but  with  here  no  trees  to  mark  its  course. 
One  of  those  happy  surprises  that  do  not  often  happen. 
Camped  thankfully  in  the  middle  of  a  shady  thicket. 

Hunt  6  miles;  march  also  iij  miles;  5 J  hours;  ele- 
vation, 4,100;  morning,  68;  noon,  96;  night,  73. 

September  8. — Started  up  river  across  country,  as  the 
stream  here  made  an  obvious  bend.  Shortly  ran  into 
an  immense  herd  (fifty  or  sixty)  of  sing-sing,  and  stalked 
them  nicely,  but  did  some  rotten  shooting,  as  it  took  me 
eight  shots  at  200  to  250  }'ards  to  get  the  two  does  wc 


i62  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

wanted  for  camp.  Just  couldn't  hold  steady.  Loaded 
the  meat  aboard  the  men  I  had  kept  free  of  loads  for  the 
purpose,  and  struck  across  after  the  safari.  Country 
the  same  as  usual,  and  I  saw  heaps  of  game.  Found  a 
human  skull  very  much  chewed,  and  was  interested  to 
see  how  thick  the  bone  was,  and  how  few  convolutions 
the  brain  cavity  showed.  Some  Wanderobo  hunter 
dead  of  thirst,  wild  beasts,  or  disease.  Caught  the 
safari  at  10:30,  and  almost  immediately  after  saw  an- 
other beautiful  sing-sing  only  slightly  smaller  and  of 
the  same  type  as  my  other  good  one.  He  was  shy,  but 
by  careful  stalking  got  within  260  yards  and  downed 
him.  At  noon  we  came  to  the  river,  had  lunch,  and  set 
about  crossing  it  in  reverse  order  to  the  former  process. 
Two  hours  saw  us  at  our  old  camp.  The  fire  had  been 
through  since  we  were  there  and  the  ground  was  black, 
but  our  thicket  uninjured. 

Five  and  one  half  hours;  14J  miles;  morning,  59; 
noon  (?);  night,  74. 

The  net  results  of  our  crossing  the  river  at  this  point, 
then,  were  as  follows:  The  open  country  below  the 
high  abrupt  escarpment  is  about  twenty  miles  long  by 
about  ten  in  its  greatest  width.  It  is  cut  by  a  number 
of  watercourses,  some  of  them  wooded,  but  none  nor- 
mally containing  running  water.  A  very  thin  growth 
of  thorn  scrub  covers  what  may  be  considered  open, 
grassy,  rolling  country.  Here  and  there  are  low, 
rocky,  circular  outcropping  hillocks  crowned  with  green 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  163 

thickets.  This,  I  should  say,  is  the  peculiar  character- 
istic of  the  place — that  the  thicket  growth  is  on  the 
summits  of  these  small  hills  instead  of  in  the  hollows. 
The  thickets  are  nowhere  continuous,  and  one  can 
always  march  around  them.  There  is  little  water  to  be 
found  along  the  escarpment  or  in  its  ravines.  This  is 
probably  because  of  the  volcanic  character  of  the 
country:  the  water  sinks  below  the  surface.  At  the 
westerly  end,  the  country  breaks  into  rocky  points 
and  buttes.  The  poisonous  swamp  is  already  described. 
The  bench  is  uninhabited,  though  native  tribes  are 
numerous  atop  the  escarpment.  Sleeping  sickness 
is  prevalent  among  them.  Game  is  extraordinarily 
abundant.  We  found  it  in  the  easterly  and  middle 
portions;  but  undoubtedly  it  shifts  location  according 
to  the  feed.  We  saw  probably  ten  thousand  head,  and 
of  course  examined  a  very  small  part  of  the  stock.  It 
comprised  the  following  species :  wildebeeste,  topi,  zebra, 
impalla,  oribi,  dik-dik,  warthog,  Bohur  reedbuck,  sing- 
sing,  Thompson's  gazelle,  Coke's  hartebeeste,*  lion, 
ostrich,  buffalo,  crocodile,  hyena.  Saw  also  signs  of 
rhinoceros.  Probably  also  could  be  found  eland,  stein- 
buck,  roan,  giraffe,  and  bushbuck,  although  we  did  not 
happen  to  see  them.  Altogether  it  is  a  wonderful 
game  field. 

*  Saw  no  Nakuru  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

September  9. — Down  river  through  the  freshly 
burned  country  to  our  base  camp.  Here  we  found 
Dolo  and  Company,  together  with  our  relay  safari,  all 
right.  They  had  backfired,  and  were  quite  safe. 
Loaded  them  all  up,  and  after  an  hour's  delay  went  on. 
For  a  short  distance  we  enjoyed  the  good  walking  of 
the  burned  country.  The  game  was  still  there.  1  sup- 
pose it  had  gone  into  the  woods  while  the  fire  raged,  and 
now  was  enjoying  charcoal  as  a  diet — together  with  the 
very  roots  of  the  grass.  Then  we  struck  higher  hills, 
deeper  ravines,  chaparral,  forests,  little  open  glades  of 
high  grass.  It  was  very  pretty  and  intimate,  but  hard 
travel,  for  we  had  to  chop  and  twist  and  double  and 
turn  to  get  on  at  all.  However,  we  did  get  on,  and  at 
noon  emerged  from  that  strip  to  the  green  open  hills 
again.  Camped  in  the  middle  of  a  thicket;  and  found 
ourselves  just  across  the  river  from  our  camp  of  day 
before  yesterday.  In  the  afternoon  Cuninghame  went 
fishing  (we  have  had  plenty  of  fish  ever  since  striking 
the  river),  but  I  loafed.  Assured  our  own  meat  by- 
killing  an  oribi,  but  the  men  had  to  fall  back  on  jerky 
because  I  missed  a  waterbuck.     This,  however,  ended 

my  spell  of  bad  shooting.     Dolo  reported  that  while 

164 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  165 

we  were  gone  he  had  to  shoot  two  cartridges  at  hyena. 
I  '11  bet  he  was  delighted  at  the  chance,  for  he  has  been 
longing  for  a  decent  excuse  to  let  off  that  old  blunder- 
buss.    Heav}^  storms  in  evening. 

Five  hours;  13  miles;  elevation,  4,000;  morning,  64; 
noon,  92;  night,  74. 

September  10. — We  now  struck  inland  across  a  big 
bend  in  the  river.  Travelled  in  rolling  open  highlands 
all  day,  with  new  blue  landmark  mountains  getting 
nearer  all  the  time.  In  them,  our  Wakoma  said,  live 
a  tribe  called  the  Ungruimi.  From  them  we  hoped  to 
get  food  and  men.  At  first  the  country  was  burned, 
then  beautifully  green.  As  we  drew  nearer  we  could 
see  that  the  mountains  were  crowned  and  patched 
with  defined  thick  groves  of  forest  trees;  and  beyond 
them,  singly,  fantastic  cones  and  knobs.  The  charac- 
ter of  the  footing  soon  appraised  us  of  the  reason,  for 
the  rocks  became  volcanic  and  slag-like,  and  the  ravines 
abrupt  and  eroded.  At  times  the  rocks,  and  conse- 
quently the  soil,  were  a  clear  mauve  in  colour.  The 
game,  which  had  been  abundant,  now  thinned.  There- 
fore we  got  busy  and  killed  two  Nakuru  hartebeeste  at 
180  and  237  yards.  Reached  the  river  again  at  about 
noon.  At  this  point  it  runs  over  a  hill  and  down  a  long 
slope  between  the  high  countries  with  a  great  dashing 
and  hollow  roaring  among  the  tall  trees  of  its  bed.  Little 
cone  hills  100  feet  high  surround  us  close,  and  the  for- 
est-patched mountains  peep  over  them.     In  the  after- 


1 66  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

noon  Ciminghame  went  out  and  shot  at  a  hippo:  we 
need  cooking  fat  badly.  Of  course  we  cannot  tell  un- 
til to-morrow  whether  or  not  he  landed.* 

Overheard  the  gunbearers  discussing  why  it  is  that 
game  is  always  wild  when  you  want  meat,  and  tame 
when  you  don't.  Says  Kongoni:  "When  the  bwana 
goes  out  for  nyumbo,  then  all  the  animals  run  and  tell 
all  the  nyumbo,  and  then  the  nyumbo  are  very  fright- 
ened, but  the  other  animals  are  not  frightened." 

Two  donkeys  died.  We  have  now  four  survivors. 
Rained  hard  in  evening. 

Six  hours  ten  minutes;  i6  miles;  elevation,  3,650; 
morning,  60;  noon,  92;  night,  74. 

September  11. — Started  out  ahead  of  safari  to  look 
for  Cuninghame's  hippo.  No  hippo;  but  beautiful 
early  morning  views  of  the  soft  folds  of  the  mountains 
over  the  way  with  their  caps  of  forest  and  their  caiion- 
fuls  of  dark  woods.  Along  the  river  the  gorgeous 
flowering  trees  and  bushes  are  coming  out,  red,  yellow, 
white,  and  purple.  The  air  of  morning  is  always  very 
clear  after  the  evening's  rain.  There  are  also  millions 
of  industrious,  loud  insects. 

After  an  hour  the  river  bent  away  from  us  down 
through  a  mysterious  strange  country  of  little  blue 
cones  and  craters  rising  singly  from  slate-gray  distance, 
and  we  turned  sharp  to  the  left  along  the  steep  side  of 


*  Although  hippo  trails  proved  that  at  some  time  these  animals  are  very 
abundant,  there  were  at  present  almost  none  to  be  seen.  I  think  at  times 
of  flood  they  may  drift  down  the  whole  length  of  the  river  to  Lake  Victoria. 


Tilt    IKOKUNGU    UUL'NTAIXS    fKUM    THE    EAST 


HUT   OF   THE    UNGRUIMI.      THE    ROPES   THAT   HOLD   THE    THATCH    ARE 
TWISTED   OF   GRASS 


^   H 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  167 

Ikorongo.  We  were  at  the  head  of  a  long  easy  slope 
to  a  distant  stream,  and  could  look  across  to  another 
range  about  eight  miles  away,  with  a  fine  table  moim- 
tain  in  it.  After  a  time  we  struck  into  a  beaten  broad 
path,  and  so  about  eleven  came  to  the  village  of  Iko- 
rongo, and  saw  our  first  Ungruimi. 

The  \'illage  consisted  of  scattered  houses,  each  with 
its  homa  of  thorn  or  young  euphorbia  shoots,  and  its 
Uttle  flock  of  granaries,  like  children  about  it.  The 
houses  are  large  and  neat,  made  of  a  stout  wall  three  or 
four  feet  high,  and  a  high -pointed  thatched  roof  through 
which  the  centre  pole  projects.  This  is  triumphantly 
topped  with  an  empty  gourd  from  which  sometimes 
little  palms  are  growing.  I  suspect  this  latter  is  less 
from  a  sense  of  aesthetics  than  as  a  charm  or  magic. 
The  granaries  are  exactly  similar  except  that  they  are 
taller  in  the  walls  in  proportion  to  their  height,  which 
is  in  the  walls  seven  or  eight  feet  by  four  or  five  in  diam- 
eter. They  are  rarely  perpendicular,  so  they  stand 
about  in  drunken  fashion  as  though  coming  home  from 
a  debauch.  The  grass  roofs  are  held  down  by  heavy 
twisted  grass  ropes  thrown  around  them  negligently 
with  quite  the  air  of  a  garland. 

The  people  keep  chickens,  dogs,  goats,  sheep,  and 
the  fattest,  finest  humped  cattle  I  have  seen  out  here.* 

They  raise  a  sort  of  rape  called  m  'wembe  which  they 

*This  place  is  in  the  extreme  limit  of  the  tsetse  countr>';  in  fact,  I  found 
several  abandoned  villages  where  the  deadly  fly  had  of  late  years  extended 
its  boundaries. 


i68  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

store  in  their  granaries  and  beat  into  flour  as  required 
in  a  mortar  made  from  a  log.  The  men  are  exception- 
ally well  formed,  smooth,  lithe,  well  developed,  with 
torsos  a  sculptor  could  take  entire  as  models.  They 
are  about  cafe  au  lait  in  colour,  shave  their  heads  to 
taste,  and  have  keen,  inteUigent  faces.  Their  lips  are 
often  thin,  and  their  noses  fine  cut,  which  gives  them  a 
reminiscence  of  one  retrousse  Irish  type.  The  women 
are  remarkable  for  the  strength  and  graceful  power 
of  their  bodies  rather  than  for  any  beauty.  I  have 
never  seen  better  set-up,  arched-ribbed,  deep-chested 
creatures  anywhere.  Unfortunately,  living  in  the 
lower  elevations,  they  have  not  the  firm,  high  breasts  of 
the  mountain  people.  Their  expression  is  engaging 
and  they  are  not  shy.  They  wear  a  sort  of  skin  half 
garment,  metal  anklets,  wire  armlets,  and  many  beads, 
but  do  not  burden  themselves  like  the  Masai.  The 
men  wear  a  cotton  cloth  shoulder  cape,  blanket,  or 
nothing  as  they  happen  to  please.  Their  ear  lobes  are 
stretched ;  they  wear  smaU  armlets  and  well-made  bead 
belts,  white  with  red  patterns.  These  latter  are  par- 
ticularly effective.  They  go  unarmed  except  for  a 
short  sword,  but  I  saw  a  few  spears  of  a  unique  pattern. 

The  bow  is  their  weapon  of  chase.  The  method  is  to 
drive  the  game  toward  a  row  of  bowmen  squatted  be- 
neath tripods  of  sticks!     They  use  no  other  blind  If 

The  children  of  both  sexes  go  naked  quite  until  about 

t  Possibly  it  is  necessary  only  to  break  the  human  outline. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  169 

ten  years  old.  In  fact  the  first  of  these  people  we  saw 
was  a  string  of  a  dozen  girls,  each  with  a  water  gourd 
atop  her  head,  and  a  string  of  beads  around  her  neck. 
They  smiled  sweetly  on  us,  and  passed  unabashed. 

We  made  camp  beneath  a  tree,  and  soon  received  a 
visit  from  the  elders,  rather  fine  and  dignified  old 
savages,  and  a  number  of  the  younger  men,  one  of 
whom  spoke  good  Swahili.  It  developed  that  this 
village  was  under  rule  of  a  sultan  across  the  valley,  but 
that  he  kept  a  son  here  to  see  to  things.  The  Swahili- 
speaking  youth  was  the  son.  He  said  he  had  learned  at 
Shirati  where  for  three  years  he  served  the  commissioner 
there — as  cook !  He  was  a  bright-looking  boy,  with  a 
piece  of  Mericani  as  his  sole  garment.  He  disappeared, 
and  shortly  returned  wearing  (i)  a  tarboush  on  the 
front  of  which  were  sewed  two  cogwheels  from  a  clock; 
(2)  two  white  duck  coats,  the  larger  underneath  so  both 
would  show;  (3)  a  yellow  and  black  striped  footman's 
vest;  (4)  a  patched  old  pair  of  checked  breeches;  (5) 
spiral  puttees;  (6)  wrecked  shoes;  (7)  a  red  handkerchief 
around  his  neck;  (8)  four  other  red  handkerchiefs  hang- 
ing from  his  belt.  We  had  then  no  doubt  he  was  the 
Prince.  We  ended  by  engaging  him  as  guide  and  in- 
terpreter for  this  country,  and  he  is  now  on  our  staff. 

Our  shauri  ran  about  as  follows: 

First — how  many  loads  of  potio  could  we  buy? 

"Two." 

"Get  them." 


I70  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

He  disappeared.  Presently  in  came  singly  and  in 
groups  women  from  the  various  houses  carrying  each 
her  contribution.  These  varied  in  quantity  from  a 
peck  to  a  mere  handful,  but  each  swelled  the  total  un- 
til the  quantity  was  made  up.  We  paid  at  the  rate  of 
one  half  cent  per  pound.* 

Second — could  we  get  porters? 

"Not  here,  but  at  a  village  across  the  valley." 

"All  right,  you  can  take  us  there  to-morrow. " 

They  then,  as  usual,  begged  for  meat,  so  I  went  out 
with  one  man  as  guide.  He  took  me  across  the  river 
and  through  rich  bottom  lands  where  fed  hundreds  of 
their  fat  cattle,  and  so  over  the  swells  of  the  valley,  but 
all  we  saw  were  three  oribi  and  two  Nakuru  hartebeeste 
that  skipped  as  soon  as  they  saw  us. 

A  feature  of  this  country  are  the  long  safaris  of 
driver  ants.  They  are  like  a  twisting  brown  rope 
several  inches  in  diameter,  moving  steadily  onward, 
with  their  big  askaris  guarding  the  flanks.  I  stepped 
one  fifty-six  paces  long !  Think  of  the  millions  of  indi- 
viduals ! 

Beautiful  sailing  moon  in  the  evening.  Four  and  a 
half  hours;  lo  miles;  morning,  64;  noon,  92;  night,  74. 

September  12. — An  omelette  for  breakfast.  An 
old  savage  brought  in  about  thirty  eggs  in  a  half  gourd. 
Being  not  exactly  sure  of  the  customs  of  the  country, 
I  asked  the  chief 's  son,  our  new  retainer. 

*  Equals  one  sixth  of  a  cent  our  money. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  171 

"Well,"  said  he  judicially,  "you  look  at  them  all  to 
see  if  they  are  good;  and  then — well,  you  have  money 
— you  have  lots  of  money." 

Took  the  hint.     Eggs  worth  one  rupee  for  forty. 

Broke  camp  and  struck  straight  across  the  valley. 
A  httle  beyond  where  I  hunted  yesterday  came  to 
loads  of  game,  so  the  savages  are  right  as  to  its  being 
here.  Shot  at  a  topi  at  sixty  yards,  and  Kongoni  said 
the  bullet  went  a  foot  in  front  of  him!  Found  my 
sight  had  been  knocked  way  over.  Hit  another  at  1 50 
yards  by  aiming  in  front  of  him,  but  even  then  too  far 
back,  so  that  although  he  was  very  wobbly  he  did  not 
come  down.  Cuninghame  came  up  and  I  borrowed 
his  gun.  Just  then  saw  some  wildebeeste  the  other 
side  of  the  wounded  topi.  Now  a  wildebeeste 's  tail  is 
the  surest  road  to  a  sultan's  favour,*  so  I  did  some- 
thing foolish — left  a  wounded  beast  afoot  to  go  after 
another.  Killed  the  wildebeeste  very  prettily  at  328 
yards,  and  turned  back  to  attend  to  my  topi.  It  had 
gathered  strength  and  was  walking  away.  It  had  a 
walking  fit,  in  fact,  and  never  paused  for  five  and  a 
half  miles.  It  joined  and  went  through  much  other 
game;  and  as  the  other  game  was  unhurt  and  curious 
they  prevented  me  from  getting  near  enough  for  a  shot. 
Indeed  I  had  a  very  hard  time  to  keep  track  of  it 
at  all,  and  finally  lost  it.  Then  I  struck  back  for 
home  and  by  sheer  accident  ran  on  it  newly  dead!    It 

*  They  are  used  as  fly  whisks. 


172  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

had  walked  at  the  same  steady  gait  until  it  had  dropped. 
And  one  of  the  strangest  features  was  that  the  two  of 
us,  although  we  had  gone  five  and  a  haK  miles,  ended 
within  200  yards  of  the  spot  we  had  started  from ! 

Left  one  gunbearer  and  took  the  other.  Got  in  to 
the  village  in  an  hour.  Found  a  large  central  hut  and 
a  half-dozen  smaller  had  been  swept  and  garnished  for 
our  accommodation.  As  the  huts  were  brand  new,  we 
took  possession,  though  we  pitched  our  tents  under  a 
big  tree.  The  old  fellow  we  at  first  took  for  the  sultan 
was  an  individual  as  little  like  a  negro  as  any  I  have 
yet  seen.  His  features  were  aquiline,  his  lips  thin,  and 
his  face  lined  with  lines  of  humour  and  shrewdness 
rather  than  merely  of  old  age.  He  was  like  a  Sioux 
Indian,  or  rather  a  weather-beaten  old  New  England 
fishing  captain.  He  wore  simple,  heavy  brass  armlets, 
a  bead  necklace,  a  plush  carriage  robe,  and  very  heav}' 
small  brass  rings  in  his  ears.  A  small  steel  chain 
passed  from  these  across  his  forehead,  thus  easing  the 
weight,  as  it  were.  He  smoked  a  unique  pipe,  with  a 
long  engraved  steel  mouthpiece  and  bowl,  polished 
like  silver,  neatly  bound  with  hide  at  the  bend.  A 
slave  carried  a  reclining  steamer-chair. 

With  him  was  an  oily  looking,  sly  youth  of  eighteen, 
speaking  fluent  Swahili,  dressed  in  fez,  kanzua*  and 
tarboush,  and  supplied  with  a  slave  and  ordinary  camp- 
chair. 


'  A  night-gown  sort  of  garment. 


TYPICAL   n'gRLIMI   HUTS,    AND   THEIR   DRUNKEN    LOOKING   GRANARIES 


THE   MOUNTAIN   RANGES   EAST   OF   MYERU  S 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  173 

We  adjourned  to  the  shade.  It  turned  out  that  the 
young  man  was  the  sultan.  The  old  fellow  was  his 
father.  Asked  why  thus,  he  repUed,  through  an  in- 
terpreter: 

"  I  am  old  and  not  strong,  and  Hke  my  chair  and  my 
pipe,  and  not  to  work.  So  I  make  shaiiri  with  the 
Deutsche  that  my  son  be  sultan."  Abdication,  in 
short.* 

We  went  into  the  matter  of  men  and  potio.  Twelve 
loads  of  potio  promised,  and  seven  men.  This  took  two 
hours  of  talk.  It  seems  the  Germans  have  undertaken 
a  new  port  at  Musoma  (on  Victoria  Nyanza),  to  take 
the  place  of  Shirati,!  and  they  have  sent  their  native 
askaris  in  even  this  far  and  drafted  all  the  ablebodied 
men.  They  must  require  a  lot,  to  have  cast  through 
the  thickly  settled  lake  peoples  to  this  remote  place. 

The  shanri  was  diversified  by  the  time-honoured 
rupee  trick,  the  opera  hat,  and  Bachelder's  sword  cane. 
We  also  tried  to  buy  the  old  man 's  pipe.  No  go.  At 
last  said  the  old  man : 

''The  great  master,  when  he  came  to  Shirati  and 
called  in  the  sultans"  (fifteen  years  ago,  Cuninghame 
says),  "wanted  to  buy  this  pipe.  But  when  I  die  then 
my  son  will  smoke  it." 


*  In  view  of  subsequent  similar  arrangements  I  am  inclined  to  think  that 
the  German  poHcy  has  been  to  depose  the  older  chiefs  in  favour  of  their  sons 
in  order  that  the  government  might  the  more  readily  handle  them.  As  all 
parties  seem  hai>py  and  satisfied  with  the  arrangement — whatever  it  is— 
the  transfer  must  have  been  diplomatically  made. 

t  Owing  to  the  encroachments  of  sleeping  sickness  at  the  latter  port. 


174  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

True  example  of  an  heirloom,  a  very  unusual  thing 
with  negroes. 

I  was  very  much  amused,  too,  with  a  lot  of  women 
working  with  hoes.  They  plied  them  vigorously  in 
unison  to  a  song,  and  every  once  in  a  while  held  them 
aloft  like  standards  and  went  running  around  in  a 
circle,  shrieking  at  the  tops  of  their  lungs.  Certainly 
they  took  their  labours  lightly!  After  a  time  they 
dropped  their  hoes  and  danced  down  to  me,  clashing 
their  heavy  anklets  in  time  to  their  chant.  One  damsel 
was  the  leader  and  did  a  pas  seul,  better  not  described, 
while  the  others  did  a  background  chorus.  She  ended 
the  show  by  kneeling  in  front  of  me  and  sorting  out 
from  some  fold  of  her  garment  a  tiny  and  unsuspected 
infant.  Thank  goodness  I  had  my  camera  on  my  knee, 
so  she  could  not  put  it  in  my  lap,  which  was  apparently 
her  intention.  Of  course  the  shauri  ceased  while  this 
row  went  on.  Then  the  sultan  made  a  very  slight 
motion  of  his  head,  and  they  vanished.  He  is  boss, 
all  right! 

Ended  by  presenting  him  a  safety  razor  and  two  blades 
with  a  promise  of  magnificent  gifts  when  his  part  of  the 
contract  should  be  fulfilled. 

Targeted  my  rifle,  and  readjusted  the  sights  that 
had  been  so  badly  knocked  over. 

Ate  before  a  wonderful  prospect  out  across  the  sweep 
of  the  valley  to  hills  that  turned  amethystine  in  the 
evening  light.     A  woman  with  a  wistful  and  pathetic 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  175 

expression  came  and  knelt  before  us  holding  out  in  two 
toil-hardened  hands  a  bowl  of  milk.  She  continued 
kneeling  there  quite  humbly  while  Ali  took  the  milk, 
nor  could  we  get  a  word  out  of  her,  nor  a  change  of  ex- 
pression. We  put  a  whole  string  of  blue  beads  in  the 
bowl,  and  she  bowed  very  low,  and  arose  and  van- 
ished. 

Five  hours;  march  7^  miles;  hunt  5I  miles;  elevation, 
4,300;  morning,  70;  noon,  80;  night,  64.  Heavy  rain 
and  thunder  in  evening. 

September  13. — Cuninghame  is  consumed  with  a 
desire  to  scout  for  elephants  in  some  far  western  dis- 
trict, and  I  am  equally  desirous  of  exploring  to  the 
south.  As  it  is  desirable  to  do  both,  we  have  agreed  to 
separate  for  three  weeks,  meeting  at  a  rumoured  ford 
on  the  Mara.  When  we  came  to  make  up  chop  boxes, 
found  we  were  short  of  some  things,  so  had  to  wait  to- 
day while  men  went  back  to  relay  up  what  the  dead 
donkeys  ought  to  be  carrying. 

Ali  came  to  report: 

''There  is  no  tea,  there  is  no  oatmeal,  there  is  no 
sugar,"  said  he — three  essentials. 

Said  I  ironically,   "Have  we  plenty  of  anything? " 

"Yes, "  said  Ali  innocently,  "plenty  of  soap." 

Cuninghame  went  off  to  another  village  in  hopes  of 
recruits,  I  out  for  gift  meat.  Of  course  everything  was 
very  wild.  Missed  a  wildebeeste  in  high  grass  at  350 
yards,  then  dropped  a  zebra  at  280.     Turned  him  over 


176  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

to  a  rejoicing  swarm  of  savages,  and  went  home  by  a 
detour,  just  to  enjoy  the  groves  of  red-flowering  trees. 
They  are  quite  large,  with  no  leaves  now,  and  deco- 
rated all  over  with  pompoms  from  which  depend 
feathery  streamers,  all  of  the  finest  scarlet,  without  a 
trace  of  pink  or  yellow  tone  in  it. 

In  the  afternoon  visited  the  palace  yard,  where  I 
achieved  great  popularity  by  means  of  the  rupee  trick, 
a  few  small  gifts,  and  a  number  of  simple  jokes.  A 
minute  infant  with  a  tremendous  corporation  I  chris- 
tened "Bwana  Tumbo, "  which  was  received  by  all 
with  roars  of  delight,  and  I  think  the  name  will  stick. 
We  had  quite  a  sociable  afternoon-tea  sort  of  time. 

Returning,  I  saw  people  coming  in  with  the  meat. 
One  group  consisted  of  father,  mother,  and  small  boy 
about  four  years  old.  The  latter  carried  proudly  on 
his  head  a  very  tiny  piece  of  meat.  He  was  getting  "all 
nice  and  bluggy,"  just  like  papa  and  mamma. 

The  water  safari  of  women  went  through  camp,  each 
with  a  gourd  on  her  head  according  to  size  of  bearer, 
the  very  tiniest  little  girls  having  small  gourds  holding 
a  pint  or  so.  They  went  by  very  straight,  single  file, 
paying  no  attention  to  the  remarks  of  the  porters. 

Cuninghame  back  at  three  o'clock  with  no  luck  re- 
cruiting. The  evening  was  enlivened  by  an  n^goma  at 
the  palace.  They  had  two  drums,  a  deep  one  and  a 
shrill  one,  and  they  played  varied  tunes,  and  chanted 
in  unison  until  they  got  excited  enough.     Then  they 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  177 

yelled.  M'ganga,  his  conventional  soul  outraged  by 
the  row,  went  up  and  told  them  they  must  stop,  that 
the  bwanas  wanted  to  sleep !  For  sheer  nerve  that  took 
the  cake,  but  he  got  away  with  it.  He  might  have 
been  speared,  but  they  actually  called  off  the  festivi- 
ties! 

Morning,  62;  noon,  71;  night,  66.     Rain  in  evening. 

September  14. — Sent  eight  men  back  to  help  our 
donkeys  with  stores.  Cuninghame  took  fourteen 
and  went  elephant  scouting  for  three  weeks.  I  took 
nine  regular  porters  and  six  savages  and  struck  south. 
We  were  also  accompanied  by  half  a  dozen  of  the  sul- 
tan's  men  for  meat.  Shortly  I  got  a  chance  and 
dropped  two  topi  before  the  little  herd  drew  beyond 
range.  Passed  many  houses,*  and  so  out  across  a 
beautiful  green  plain  about  four  miles  in  diameter. 
Wildebeeste  and  topi  in  great  numbers  were  all  about, 
but  very  wild,  due  probably  to  being  driven  by  the 
savages. 

Myeru's  head  man  with  two  followers  had  kept  on 
with  us,  although  most  of  the  rest  of  his  men  had 
dropped  back  with  the  meat.  He  still  lived  in  hopes. 
Now  he  moved  up  to  my  elbow.  With  painstaking  care 
he  pointed  out  to  me  each  perfectly  obvious  herd.  I  re- 
mained impervious  to  hints.     About  noon  he  sighed 


*This  country  must  have  been  long  at  peace,  judging  from  the  number  of 
isolated  homes  built  out  everywhere.  That  it  has  not  always  been  so  is 
sufficiently  proved  by  the  ruins  of  old  villages  perched  high  and  fortified 
in  the  rocks. 


1 78  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

deeply,  salaamed,  and  sadly  departed  for  the  Sultan 
Myeru's  village,  followed  by  his  henchmen. 

The  growth  surrounding  the  round  grass  plains 
proved  to  be  scattered  small  trees  with  white  trunks, 
like  poplars  or  birches.  Below  them  the  grass  grew 
short  and  green,  like  a  lawn;  and  over  the  grass  were 
scattered  white  and  pink  flowers.  We  wanted  to  camp 
near  the  plain  in  order  to  examine  the  game  thereon. 
Fortunately  a  short  search  brought  us  to  a  waterhole. 
We  pitched  camp  beneath  the  shadiest  of  the  little 
trees. 

Very  hot  at  noon,  as  the  air  is  moist.  At  3 130  went 
out  scouting.  Enjoyed  the  walk,  and  saw  plenty  of 
game,  but  of  only  a  few  species.  Parenthetically,  these 
few  are  all  there  are  to  be  had  in  this  especial  district. 
Wildebeeste  lead — I  have  nowhere  seen  so  many;  topi 
a  close  second;  and  zebra  a  bad  tliird.  Also  there  is  a 
fair  sprinkling  of  impalla,  oribi,  and,  in  one  place,  roan. 
Dropped  a  zebra  at  250  yards  with  three  shots,  as  Hon 
bait;  and  topi  at  130  as  camp  meat. 

March  four  and  a  half  hours;  10  miles;  hunt,  5  miles; 
morning,  64;  noon,  84;  night,  71. 


CHAPTER  XV 

September  15. — Last  evening  the  lions  began  roar- 
ing very  soon  after  dark.  They  were  somewhere  to 
the  westward  and  a  considerable  distance  away;  but 
their  reverberating  calls  carried  distinctly  to  us.  There 
were  a  number  of  them,  and  they  were  doing  what  I 
used  to  call  "curate-response"  roaring.  That  is  to 
say,  one  would  begin  just  before  his  predecessor  left 
off;  so  that  a  continuous  pulsating  volume  of  sound 
rolled  across  the  night.  It  was  a  good  deal  like  a  long 
freight  train  crossing  a  pecuUarly  resonant  bridge;  or 
the  droning  of  a  distant  twelve-inch  shell. 

From  the  first  heavy  sleep  that  falls  on  the  tired 
tropical  voyageur — when  sleep  visits  him  at  all— I 
was  aroused  by  a  burst  of  noise.  Raising  myself  on  my 
elbow,  I  found  that  the  beasts  were  much  nearer — say 
at  the  top  of  the  low  ridge  a  mile  away.  They  were 
monopolizing  the  whole  world  of  sound.  Even  the  in- 
sects seemed  to  have  fallen  into  the  dead  silence  that 
prudence  or  terror  had  imposed  on  the  rest  of  the 
veldt.  I  tried  to  make  out  how  many  of  the  lions 
there  were,  but  was  unable  to  distinguish  clearly;  I 
thought  there  were  three.  Then,  in  spite  of  myself,  I 
fell  into  a  doze.     The  magnificent  organ  tones  per- 

179 


i8o  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

sisted  in  my  consciousness;  became  fantastic;  mingled 
with  dreams;  faded  into  distant  thunder, 

I  was  jerked  back  from  sleep  by  a  roar  that  seemed 
to  shake  the  tent.  The  men  were  chattering  together 
in  subdued  tones;  and  I  could  see  against  my  canvas 
the  flickering  of  replenished  little  fires  before  the  men 's 
tents.  This  one  mighty  roar  had  for  the  moment  ter- 
minated the  concert.  A  dead  blank  sUence  had  fallen 
on  the  world.  Leaning  on  my  elbow,  I  hstened  in- 
tently. I  could  for  a  moment  hear  nothing.  Then 
came  the  sound  of  a  steady  lap  lap  lap  of  a  beast  drink- 
ing. They  were  actually  watering  at  our  little  water- 
hole  just  outside  the  camp-lines ! 

There  was  nothing  to  be  done;  and  no  particular 
danger.  The  situation  was  interesting,  that  was  all. 
In  about  ten  minutes  the  lions  withdrew.  I  fell  asleep 
again;  but  through  my  dreams  I  could  hear  them  oc- 
casionally, voicing  their  satisfaction — or  dissatisfaction 
— as  they  slowly  retired.  Never  before  had  I  heard  lions 
roar  so  persistently. 

Next  morning,  eating  my  breakfast  as  usual  before 
daylight,  I  talked  it  over  with  Memba  Sasa.  We 
agreed  it  was  about  time  to  go  lion  hunting.  Memba 
Sasa  thought  there  were  four  of  them.  Subsequent 
events  proved  him  correct. 

We  took  with  us  every  man  in  camp,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  cook  and  Ali ;  just  in  case  we  might  have 
to  beat  cover.    i^^The  game  had  drawn  close  about  us 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 


l8l 


in  the  night.  Within  the  first  200  yards  1  counted 
twenty-six  topi  and  wildebeeste.  For  three  hours  we 
ranged  and  quartered  the  undulating  hills.  There  was 
plenty  of  several  sorts  of  game ;  but  no  lions. 

"Memba  Sasa,"  said  I,  "if  we  find  lions  here,  it  is 
just  luck.  There  are  very  many  waterholes  and  very 
many  pieces  of  cover.  Lions  could  drink  anywhere, 
and  lie  down  anywhere;  and  unless  we  had  great  luck 
we  would  not  run  across  them." 

While  I  was  saying  these  words  a  lioness  thrust  her 
head  up  from  a  clump  of  small  bush  twenty  yards  ahead 
of  us.  Some  of  the  porters  saw  her  first,  and  raised  a 
great  fuss.  I  had  the  .405  Winchester  in  my  hand  and 
immediately  took  a  shot  at  the  middle  of  her  chest. 
She  flipped  backward  off  the  ant  heap  on  the  top  of 
which  she  had  been  lying.  A  flying  shot  missed  her  as 
she  fell.  She  whirled  back  from  the  edge  of  the  thicket 
and  charged  at  me,  snarling  with  rage,  but  before  she 
had  hit  her  stride  three  rapidly  delivered  shots  stopped 
her. 

Almost  the  same  instant  a  male  lion  emerged  from 
the  other  side  of  the  thicket  and  trotted  slowly  away. 
Evidently  he  had  not  seen  us,  but  the  noise  and  row 
had  disturbed  his  siesta,  and  he  was  going  to  a  more 
peaceful  locality.  We  thought  we  caught  a  glimpse  of 
a  lioness  just  ahead  of  him ;  but  could  not  be  sure. 

We  trotted  along  after,  tr\'ing  to  strike  a  happy 
medium  in  speed  that  would  take  us  near  enough  to 


i82  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

catch  the  beast's  attention,  and  still  leave  me  wind 
enough  to  shoot  straight.  I  had  exchanged  the  .405 
for  the  Springfield,  for  I  expected  the  first  shots  would 
be  at  fairly  long  range.  Inside  a  few  hundred  yards 
the  thin  bush  ceased.  We  emerged  on  a  tiny  open 
plain,  grown  sparsely  with  sapling-sized  trees,  on  the 
other  side  of  which  were  more  thickets,  perhaps  a 
quarter  mile  away.  Here  the  lion  caught  sight  of  us 
and  stopped  abruptly.  The  lioness,  too,  came  to  a  halt 
and  turned  sidewise  the  better  to  inspect  us.  They 
were  then  about  1 50  yards  distant. 

We  stopped  next  one  of  the  small  saplings.  Memba 
Sasa  moved  up  next  my  elbow.  At  what  stage  of  the 
game  the  rest  of  the  men  took  to  the  trees  I  do  not 
know.  Pretty  promptly,  I  should  think.  At  any  rate, 
those  trees  fairly  rained  niggers  after  the  row  was  over. 

I  waited  a  few  moments  to  steady  down  after  our 
short  run.  The  two  beasts  held  their  positions,  side  on, 
staring  back  at  us.  When  my  heart  had  quit  thumping 
I  took  as  close  a  shot  as  I  could  at  the  Hon,  and  hit  him 
very  near  the  middle  of  the  shoulder.  With  a  snarhng 
growl  he  leaped  straight  up  in  the  air,  then  turned  to 
bite  savagely  at  the  wound.     The  lioness  did  not  stir. 

My  attention  concentrated  on  the  wounded  beast,  I 
threw  back  and  forth  the  bolt  of  my  weapon  in  order 
to  get  in  another  shot  before  he  came  to  himself.  I 
was  on  the  point  of  taking  aim  when  Memba  Sasa 
touched  my  elbow. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  183 

^'Angalia  bwana,  simba  m^kubwa  sana"  ("Look, 
master,  see  the  very  big  one!"),  he  breathed. 

I  looked.  From  behind  the  screen  of  thin  bush  to 
the  left  sauntered  the  most  magnificent  wild  lion  I  had 
ever  seen.  His  yellow  mane  hung  thick  and  long  half- 
way to  his  knees,  and  extended  far  along  his  back.  His 
head  was  up,  and  his  sleepy,  wise  face  expressed  digni- 
fied surprise. 

It  is  well  known  to  African  hunters  that  wild  lions 
rarely  carry  heavy  manes.  A  good  proportion  of  the 
adult  males  are  of  the  maneless  variety ;  while  those  that 
have  manes  lose  a  great  deal  of  them  in  thorns  and  in 
the  bush.  No  wild  lion  ever  quite  equals  in  this  respect 
the  pampered  and  sheltered  menagerie  specimens  any 
more  than  the  latter  can  compete  with  their  wild 
kindred  in  size.  At  this  time  I  had  killed  and  helped 
kill  seventeen  lions.  Of  that  lot  seven  were  males; 
of  the  males  two  were  maneless;  and  of  the  other  five 
only  one  had  a  fairly  decent  mane,  and  one  what  might 
be  called  a  reaUy  good  mane.  But  none  equalled  the 
lordly  old  chap  who  stood  before  me.  It  was  very  bad 
sense  to  ''take  on"  one  lion  before  settling  with  the 
other;  but  the  temptation  was  too  great.  I  put  a  Spring- 
field bullet  in  his  shoulder,  too. 

At  the  report  of  the  rifle  the  lioness  charged  like  a 
flash.  Nobody  had  said  or  done  a  thing  to  her.  She 
just  wanted  to  prove  that  line  about  the  ''female  of  the 
species,"  I  suppose. 


1 84  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Already  I  had  two  wounded  lions  on  hand,  but 
evidently  it  was  necessary  to  acquire  another.  My 
bullet  checked  her  nearly  short  up,  from  the  mere  shock 
of  impact.  Out  of  the  corner  of  my  eye  I  had  seen  the 
first  lion,  recovered  from  his  catfit  over  being  hit, 
swing  into  his  stride  when  the  lioness  started.  Memba 
Sasa  was  snuggled  up  to  my  elbow,  chanting  low- voiced 
a  sort  of  war  song  of  his  own.  With  my  left  hand  I 
snatched  from  him  the  .405,  at  the  same  time  passing 
the  Springfield  behind  my  back.  He  seized  it  in  al- 
most the  same  motion  with  which  he  handed  up  the 
other  gun.  Good  old  Memba  Sasa!  Here,  as  always, 
he  played  the  game ! 

When  I  got  back  to  camp  an  hour  or  so  later  I  tried 
to  put  down  in  my  notebook  exactly  the  sequence  of 
events.  I  put  down  something;  but  when  a  few  weeks 
later  I  start  to  write  this  journal  more  fully,  subse- 
quent recollections  that  float  across  my  mind,  frag- 
mentary but  very  vivid,  make  me  doubt  whether  I  can 
reproduce  in  my  own  mind  an  accurate  sequence. 
Therefore  I  will  not  try  to  put  down  in  what  order  I 
shot  at  those  lions,  nor  where  each  several  shot  hit.  I 
do  know  that  I  shot  at  each  of  them  in  turn  as  it  seemed 
necessary  to  keep  them  checked.  It  was  a  good  deal 
like  pushing  eager  puppies  back  into  a  kennel  yard, 
first  one,  then  another,  then  another,  then  the  first 
one  back  at  you  again.  A  later  count  of  cartridges  ex- 
pended showed  that  from  the  two  rifles  I  fired  eighteen 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  185 

shots.  Five  of  these  were  expended  on  the  first  lioness, 
and  four  on  the  big  one  after  the  main  battle  was 
over.  So  I  must  have  used  nine  cartridges  to  stop  the 
charge.     Of  these  I  missed  one. 

It  was  absolutely  necessary  to  keep  cool;  and  I  was 
scared  enough  to  do  so;  for  I  realized  that  if  for  a 
minute  fraction  of  an  instant  I  allowed  myself  to  lose 
my  grip,  I  would  be  stampeded.  After  all,  in  a  really 
hot  corner,  when  a  man  is  in  a  certain  danger  of  his 
life,  he  is  too  busy  to  analyze.  And  it  is  the  man  who 
analyzes  who  gets  rattled. 

At  any  rate,  we  shot  nine  times,  we  shot  pretty  fast, 
and  we  shot  accurately.  That  is  solely  because  we  had 
to.  I  used  the  two  rifles  alternately,  for  I  had  some  sort 
of  notion  of  keeping  both  magazines  full.  Memba 
Sasa  went  on  crooning  his  war  song,  and  loading  like  a 
machine.  The  second  lion  collapsed  early  in  the  game 
and  about  100  yards  away.  The  lioness  came  close  in, 
but  was  crippled  for  keeps  at  about  fifteen  yards.  The 
big  lion  had  stopped  sixty  yards  distant  and  was  sitting 
on  his  haunches  staring  about  him.  He  had  been 
badly  hit,  but  was  in  no  immediate  distress.  I  have  a 
notion  that  he  had  not  yet  located  us  behind  our  little 
sapling,  or  perhaps  was  a  trifle  dazed  by  the  impact  of 
the  bullet,  and  had  charged  with  his  two  companions, 
following  their  lead. 

Now  I  am  perfectly  aware  that  a  wounded  lion 
charges.     Exceptions  are  so  rare  as  only  to  prove  the 


i86  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

rule.  But  I  have  always  cherished  a  theory  that  even 
a  wounded  lion  can  be  bluffed  out,  provided  the  man 
does  the  charging  first,  before  the  beast  can  gather  his 
faculties.  Here  was  a  heaven-given  opportunity  to  try 
that  out. 

So  I  took  the  .405,  stepped  out  from  our  sapling,  and 
began  to  walk  steadily  toward  him. 

If  I  had  stood  still  in  his  sight  for  the  instant  neces- 
sary for  him  to  see  what  I  was,  he  would  have  come  in; 
for  he  was  hurt  and  angry.  But  he  had  not  that  in- 
stant. Holding  my  rifle  ready  for  immediate  action,  I 
advanced  on  him  at  an  even  gait.  He  saw  me  at  once, 
and  fixed  on  me  his  great  yellow  eyes. 

He  sat  thus  absolutely  still  while  I  covered  about 
half  the  distance  between  us.  In  my  mind  I  had  fixed 
upon  a  certain  little  bush  twenty  yards  or  so  from  the 
lion  as  the  point  at  which  I  should  begin  to  shoot.  When 
I  still  had  half  a  dozen  yards  to  go,  the  intentness  of 
his  gaze  broke.  He  began  to  act  exactly  as  a  dog 
does  when  he  is  embarrassed,  glancing  down,  now  to 
right,  now  to  left.  At  twenty-five  yards  the  pressure 
became  too  great.  He  suddenly  turned  and  bolted! 
And  I  missed  a  hasty  shot  at  him  as  he  ran! 

Mind  you  his  nerve  was  not  broken,  for  within  100 
yards  or  so  he  rounded  to  in  a  small  clump  of  brush, 
whence  he  charged  desperately.  Only,  as  I  say,  the 
pressure  was  too  steady  and  too  persistent  for  so 
nervously  organized  an  animal  to  endure. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  187 

We  had  no  difficulty  in  locating  the  spot  at  which  he 
had  stopped.  He  was  growUng  nastily  in  his  throat; 
loudly,  in  crescendo,  on  the  intake  of  the  breath;  slowly, 
with  a  sort  of  gurgling  undertone,  as  he  exhaled.  The 
leaves  concealed  him.  We  walked  forward  to  within 
thirty  or  forty  yards  then  began  to  edge  to  right  and 
left  a  few  inches  at  a  time,  trj^ing  to  get  a  sight  of  him. 
It  was  very  nervous  work.  We  dared  not  get  off  bal- 
ance for  a  single  instant. 

How  long  exactly  this  lasted  I  do  not  know.  The 
beast  was  lashing  himself  up:  and  his  growling  and 
snarling  were  working  up  to  the  point  of  explosion. 
Suddenly,  so  suddenly  that  for  a  fleeting  instant  I  was 
almost  paralyzed  by  the  surprise  of  it,  he  broke  from 
the  cover  and  launched  himself  at  us. 

This  is,  in  my  opinion,  the  supreme  moment  in  a 
hunter's  life,  the  moment  when,  all  prelimiaaries  at  an 
end,  the  lion  makes  his  direct  and  deadly  attack.  The 
httle  unessentials  are  brushed  aside.  Only  remains 
the  big  primitive  idea  to  fill  all  a  man's  mind — kiQ  or 
be  killed.  The  preliminary  maneuverings  have  made 
him  nervous  and  jumpy  enough  to  scream  aloud; 
but  now  all  his  faculties  fall  into  battle  array.  He 
becomes  deadly  cool.  Each  of  the  few  movements  nec- 
essar>'  to  bring  his  weapon  into  play  he  executes  with 
what  seems  to  him  an  almost  deliberate  precision.  A 
smouldering,  repressed  emotion  fills  all  his  being;  it  is 
not  exactly  anger,  but  something  like  it,  rather  a  feel- 


i88  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

ing  of  antagonism,  a  pitting  of  forces  and  skills.  He 
delivers  each  shot  with  an  impact  of  nervous  force  be- 
hind it,  as  though  he  were  to  strike  with  his  own  hands. 
''Take  that !  take  that !  take  that ! "  his  mind  seems  to  it- 
self to  mutter;  though  of  course  he  has  really  no  time 
nor  attention  to  waste  on  articulation.  And  beneath 
all  this  is  a  great  wary  alertness  that  sits  like  a  captain 
in  a  conning  tower,  spying  cannily  over  all  the  situation 
as  it  develops,  poised  ready  to  plan  competently  for  the 
unexpected. 

Excited,  in  the  usual  sense  of  the  word?  No.  But 
alive  to  the  uttermost  of  all  his  faculties  at  once? 
Yes.     That  is  why  the  moment  is  supreme. 

I  killed  that  lion  with  three  shots,  the  last  delivered 
at  eight  paces.  He  was  considerably  slowed  by  his 
previous  wounds,  but  he  made  a  gallant  fight.  Each 
blow  stopped  him  short;  but  he  gathered  himself  and 
came  on.     He  rolled  over  at  last:  stone  dead. 

Returning,  we  found  the  first  lion  dead  when  my 
second  shot  had  caught  him  just  under  the  chin.  I  do 
not  know  just  which  rifles  did  what,  except  in  the  case 
of  the  first  few  shots,  as  after  one  or  two  shots  I  always 
handed  them  back  for  reloads,  desiring  always  as  full 
magazines  as  possible. 

The  row  must  have  been  appalling,  though  we  had 
no  chance  to  notice  it,  for  every  beast  was  snarling  and 
growling  and  roaring  without  limit,  and  the  rifle  fire 
was  pretty  rapid.     Fired  five  shots  from  the  .405  at 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  189 

the  first,  and  seven  .405 's  and  six  Springfields  at  the 
second  lot.  Hit  number  one  four  times,  the  smaller 
lion  twice,  lioness  twice,  big  fellow  seven.  The  smaller 
lion  has  an  ordinary  mane,  but  the  big  fellow's  is  so 
thick  and  long  that  I  could  hardly  get  the  alum  water 
to  run  down  into  it,  even  by  parting  the  hair.  These 
two  are  far  and  away  the  finest  wild  lions  I  have  ever 
seen  either  in  the  flesh  here  or  as  skins  in  London. 

All  the  rest  of  the  day  and  far  into  the  evening  was 
spent  in  preparing  the  skins.  On  the  way  home  saw  a 
few  guinea  fowl,  the  first  for  a  long  time.  When  we 
went  to  take  our  flag  off  the  lion  bait  this  evening  we 
found  the  savages  had  made  way  with  all  the  meat! 
They  left  the  flag. 

This  camp  is  infested  by  a  yellow  and  black  striped 
fly,  with  a  loud  buzz,  that  occupies  about  a  cubic  foot 
of  air  space  in  which  he  hikes  frantically  back  and 
forth  in  zigzags.  And  you  cannot  hit  him;  it's  been 
tried. 

Rigged  a  sort  of  jury  tent  to  hang  the  skins  in. 
Heard  leopard  and  hyena  and  lions  far  off;  but  I 
think  we  have  the  lot  near  here. 

Morning,  60;  noon,  90;  night,  72. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

September  i6. — Spent  the  morning  in  a  long  scout 
to  the  hills  southeast.  Saw  much  game  of  the  three 
species,  with  a  heavy  run  of  wildebeeste,  of  which  I  got 
some  good  herd  pictures.  From  a  height  we  looked 
down  on  another  country  similar  to  our  own,  with 
three  of  the  bright  green  plains  in  sight.  On  each  fed 
black  herds,  and  through  our  glasses  we  could  make 
out  savages  stalking  across.  Near  camp  I  killed  a 
wildebeeste  for  meat,  at  172  yards.  After  lunch  took 
my  chair  in  the  shade  and  wrote  for  a  while.  When  I 
came  to  get  up  I  found  it  absolutely  impossible  to 
straighten  my  back.  The  muscles  refused  to  work, 
and  the  slightest  movement  even  of  an  inch  or  two  was 
accompanied  by  severe  pain.  After  an  hour,  by  slow 
degrees,  I  managed  to  help  myself  upright  and  got  into 
camp.  There  sat  in  my  chair.  Unable  to  reach  out 
or  down,  even  to  get  a  saltcellar,  without  the  most 
severe  pain.  I  could,  however,  sit  quiet  in  a  chair 
with  no  more  than  a  bad  ache,  so  I  did  so,  and  watched 
a  beautiful  sunset  with  clouds  of  mauve  and  a  very 
blue  slate.  No  temperature,  and  appetite  fine ;  so  con- 
clude it  is  like  a  bad  stiff  neck,  only  just  below  the 

small  of  the  back:  probably  lumbago.     Got  to  bed 

190 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  191 

ridiculously,  an  inch  at  a  time,  lying  on  my  side  on  the 
tent  floor,  and  worrying  my  clothes  off  poli-poli* 

Morning,  62;  noon,  90;  night  (?). 

September  17. — Bad  night  owing  to  severe  aches. 
Found  this  morning  the  curious  fact  that  ordinary 
body  movements,  such  as  rising  and  walking,  are  ordi- 
narily conducted  by  a  certain  limited  amount  of  will 
power  sent  out  automatically  by  the  brain.  I  say 
"Rise,"  and  the  brain  repeats  the  order  to  the  muscles. 
Then  if  the  muscles  are  out  of  order,  they  fail  to  re- 
spond, send  back  a  sharp  pain  message,  and  the  brain 
tells  me,  "You  cannot  rise."  But  then  if  you  take 
charge  yourself,  instead  of  leaving  it  to  automatic 
action,  and  concentrate  your  will  on  each  and  every 
separate  movement  necessary  to  rise,  you  can  do  it. 
All  you  have  to  do  is  to  break  firmly  through  the  pain 
protest.  As  soon  as  I  found  that  out,  I  resolved  to 
move  camp,  for  the  possibiUties  of  this  place  are  well 
scouted.  No  temperature,  appetite  good;  no  reason 
for  not  moving  except  the  ridiculous  one  that  it  hurts 
like  blazes.  So  I  got  two  long  sticks,  and  started  out 
to  do  one  step  at  a  time.  Very  tiring  work,  of  course, 
both  on  account  of  severe  pain,  and  because  of  the  extra 
expenditure  of  will  power.  But  then,  one  needn't 
go  so  far.  We  crossed  the  green  plain,  entered  another 
birch-like   strip   of   woods,  and   came   to   the   other 


*  This  attack  was  probably  due  to  congestive  chill.    I  still  have  traces  of  it, 
nearly  a  year  later. 


192  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

stream  bed  that  I  knew  must  flow  past  Ikorongo.  And 
there,  placed  to  order,  were  two  zebra.  When  I  came 
to  abandon  my  two  sticks,  and  hold  a  rifle  out,  how- 
ever, I  found  that  the  position  and  weight  seemed 
at  first  prohibitive.  However,  I  got  it  level  at  last, 
managed  to  hold  it  steady  for  an  instant,  and  downed 
the  zebra  at  225  yards  (Memba  Sasa  stepped  it).  Put 
a  flag  on  him,  went  on  a  bit,  and  made  camp.  Saw  one 
lone  Nakuru  hartebeeste  near  camp,  the  only  one  in 
the  whole  country,  I  think.  Got  out  my  chair  and  sat 
down!  Rested  all  afternoon,  while  the  gimbearers 
scouted  certain  country  I  designated.  They  reported 
roan  on  a  hill,  not  much  game,  and  no  other  water  as 
far  as  they  went.  In  the  evening  I  sat  by  the  camp- 
fire  and  watched  some  wierd,  bat-like  birds  wheeling 
and  turning  rapidly  and  silently  overhead.  They  looked 
like  imps  of  darkness,  for  their  wings  trailed  long 
fluttering  feathers,  like  the  conventional  devil's 
wings. 

Two  and  one  half  hours;  3  miles;  elevation,  3,950; 
morning,  62;  noon,  86;  night,  72.  Rugee 's  birthday. 
Drank  him  a  silent  toast — in  tea — and  wondered  where 
the  good  old  boy  is. 

September  18. — A  very  aching  and  restless  night. 
Was  called  a  half- hour  earlier  than  usual  to  allow  time 
for  the  slow  process  of  dressing.  Found  my  condition 
much  the  same,  except  that  the  pain  goes  into  the  hip- 
joints  as  well.     However,  got  my  sticks  and  we  went  to 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  193 

look  at  the  lion  bait,  which  was  untouched.  A  Uttle 
farther  on  I  jumped  a  Bohur  reedbuck  with  a  most  re- 
markable head.  Fortunately  he  stood  long  enough  for 
me  to  go  through  the  very  slow  process  of  getting  into 
position,  and  I  managed  to  land  him  in  the  ribs  just 
back  of  the  heart.  About  100  yards.  It  did  not  stop 
him,  however,  but  slowed  him  down  so  we  could  keep 
him  in  sight.  Stalking  was,  of  course,  out  of  the 
question,  but  I  kept  after  him  until  he  went  over  a 
little  hill.  Arriving  at  the  top  of  this,  I  saw  him  below 
me,  loping  heavily  along,  and  by  good  luck  hit  him 
again  at  125  yards.  He  is  a  real  prize,  and  also  this 
was  meat  day.  After  this  ran  into  some  oribi  in  grass 
and  missed  them  eight  times,  but  as  they  are  next  to 
dik-dik  for  smaUness  this  did  not  depress  me,  in  the  cir- 
cumstances. Shortly  after  saw  an  impalla.  Could  not 
get  near  him,  but  was  willing  to  take  a  chance.  Missed 
first  at  about  250  yards.  Then  he  partly  faced  me, 
and  I  broke  his  hind  leg.  Then  hit  him  in  the  ribs  at 
317,  which  was  sheer  luck. 

Meat  enough  assured,  I  returned  to  camp,  after  three 
hours.  Retired  to  tent,  and  had  mosquito  canopy  up 
account  of  flies.  Wrote  log  and  read.  Hard  to  get 
comfy,  as  any  position  aches,  and  any  change  of  po- 
sition hurts  like  blazes. 

About  four  o'clock  the  sky  overcast,  so  I  resolved  to 
scout  a  bit  down  river.  That  would  finish  what  I 
wanted  to  know  about  this  country,  and  enable  me  to 


194  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

work  back  to  Myeru's.  Made  a  two-hour  walk,  and 
had  a  flurry  of  rain,  but  found  no  good  prospects. 

The  nature  of  the  country  is  most  beautiful,  and  I 
must  try  to  describe  it.  Conceive  a  perfectly  flat 
green  lawn  of  indefinite  extent;  the  grass  short  as 
though  mown;  nowhere,  even  next  the  trees,  growing 
into  high  ragged  clumps.  Plant  this  lawn  sparingly 
with  small  trees  with  white  trunks,  like  birch  trees,  far 
enough  apart  not  to  spoil  the  open  appearance,  but 
thick  enough  to  close  in  the  view  at  quarter  of  a  mile. 
Then  scatter  over  this  lawn  flowers  that  grow  flat  to 
the  ground,  with  barely  an  inch  of  stem  to  support 
them,  so  that  they  give  the  impression  of  having  been 
scattered  fresh  cut.  They  are  four  petaUed,  velvet  in 
texture,  the  exact  shape  and  size  of  a  wild  rose.  Most 
of  them  are  white,  but  a  very  few  range  in  colour  from 
deep  red  to  pale  pink.  Across  the  sweeps  and  flats 
they  lie  spangling  the  turf  sparsely;  but  in  tiny  de- 
pressions they  are  as  though  drifted.  In  addition  to 
these  are  occasional  other  flowers,  high  growing,  with 
stems,  some  flesh  coloured,  some  brightred  and  upstand- 
ing, some  orange  and  yellow,  and  some  with  feathery 
leaves  trailing  vine-like  along  the  ground.  But  they 
are  not  abundant  enough  to  modify  the  effect  of  the 
others  which  always  remind  me  of  one  line  of  Omar's: 
"star-scattered  on  the  grass." 

Just  before  camp  I  ran  across  the  same  lone  Nakuru 
hartebeeste  I  had  seen  in  the  morning,  and  warned  by 


AN    EXTRAORUINARV    EXAMPLi:    ol     >li  I    H   111  n    I    \K    M'll.S.       THIS 
MAN    CARRIED    A    LOAD    FOR    US    TllROLGU    A    THICKET    COUNTRY 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  195 

their  growing  scarceness  that  I  might  not  collect  my 
one  remaining  specimen,  I  put  a  .405  in  his  shoulder  at 
122  yards. 

Our  savages  are  very  keen  for  used  cartridges,  and 
this  being  larger  than  the  Springfield,  was  to  them  an 
especial  prize. 

Usual  storm  in  evening. 

Morning,  66;  noon,  87;  night,  70. 

September  19. — A  leopard  hung  all  night  near  camp, 
and  we  had  hopes  of  him  at  the  bait,  but  found  it  de- 
voured by  hyenas.  Packed  up  and  were  off  at  6:40. 
Safari  could  beat  me  all  hollow  travelling,  for  while  I 
can  now  abandon  one  staff  and  have  taken  to  Mr. 
Bachelder's  cane,  it  is  very  tiring  and  painful  to  move 
at  all,  and  any  Httle  twist  or  unexpected  hummock 
drops  me  as  if  I  have  been  shot. 

The  display  of  flowers  in  crossing  the  valley  seemed 
even  more  beautiful  than  that  of  yesterday.  Passed 
two  villages,  whose  head  men  came  out  to  speak  to  me. 
The  latter  one  followed  me  to  Myeru's  begging  meat, 
but  I  had  my  own  men  to  think  of  and  could  not  turn 
off  to  hunt.  He  carried  two  unfortunate  chickens  in- 
tended as  a  bribe,  but  as  he  soon  saw  I  did  not  pur- 
pose answering  his  plea,  he  thriftily  bartered  them  to 
the  men  instead. 

At  one  place,  while  watching  the  antics  of  some  very 
large  gray  monkeys,  I  happened  to  glance  down  and 
saw  a  lot  of  peanut  shells!    I  rubbed  my  eyes  and 


196  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

looked  also  for  the  pink  lemonade.  It  seems  that  pea- 
nuts are  a  staple  of  the  country.  Bought  some  and 
had  them  roasted. 

At  the  end  of  three  and  a  half  hours  got  in  to  our  old 
camp  and  found  Dolo,  Sulimani,  the  Toto,  all  four 
donkeys,  and  the  eight  men  all  well  and  very  glad  to  see 
us.  The  sultan,  having  duly  impressed  me  before  by 
his  gorgeousness,  now  appeared  in  a  blanket.*  He  had 
seven  loads  of  potio  ready  out  of  the  thirteen  promised. 
I  called  him  up  and  very  firmly  informed  him  that  un- 
less the  other  six  were  forthcoming  by  evening  he  would 
get  the  price  only,  and  no  backshish.  This  stirred  him, 
and  I  saw  messengers  running  off  in  all  directions,  to 
return  at  the  end  of  a  few  hours  followed  by  a  slave  or 
so  bearing  a  greater  or  lesser  amount  of  meal.  By 
eight  o'clock  all  was  in  but  two  loads.  He  sent  word 
that  was  all  he  could  get.  I,  sitting  among  pillows, 
sent  a  stern  message  that  the  rest  must  come  or  no 
backshish.  About  nine  he  brought  in  the  last,  which 
he  said  had  been  prepared  for  his  own  household.  I 
counted  out  the  thirteen  rupees  payment,  added  five 
rupees  and  a  folding  knife,  and  left  him  satisfied. 

One  of  our  men  is  greatly  given  to  decoration.  The 
other  day  he  found  some  white  tree  pollen  with  which 
he  daubed  his  face  in  a  manner  ghastly  to  behold. 
This  evening  he  appeared  with  the  feathers  of  the  in- 

*This  seems  the  frugal  custom  of  most  Central  African  sultans.  One 
dazzling  appearance,  and  the  finery  is  put  away. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  197 

tended  gift  chickens  stuck  every  which  way  over  his 
head,  like  Tom  o'  Bedlam.  Shot  a  lucky  topi  near  camp 
at  232  yards. 

Three  and  a  half  hours;  10  miles;  morning,  67;  noon, 
85;  night,  71. 

September  20. — Have  had  a  lot  of  fever  among  the 
men  of  late,  and  had  to  hold  an  extra  clinic  this  morn- 
ing.* Left  Myeru's  at  6:40  after  considerable  manena 
with  the  savage  porters,  who  as  usual  wanted  to  quit. 
Got  them  going  by  combination  of  threats  and  promises. 
Long  march,  or  it  seemed  to  me  long,  down  the  length 
of  the  hills,  then  over,  through,  and  between  the  smaller 
cones,  kopjes,  and  ridges  with  which  the  system  ends. 
Lots  of  green  parrots  that  fly  very  fast  with  a  rapid, 
whirring,  quail-like  method  of  going.  Native  villages 
everywhere,  and  isolated  shambas.  Country  open  and 
grassy,  with  rock  outcrops  and  little  groves  and  scat- 
tered trees. 

I  had  my  canvas  chair  carried  for  me,  and  rested  in 
it  often.  At  one  point  the  safari  caught  and  passed  me, 
thus  resting,  and  went  on  over  the  hills.  They  evi- 
dently thought  I  was  safe  for  a  while,  for  no  sooner 
were  they  over  the  summit  than  they  threw  down  their 
loads.  It  was  still  an  hour  till  rest  time,  and  this  was 
sheer  impudence.  By  luck  I  happened  to  go  on  very 
shortly  and  caught  them  at  it.  Then  I  waded  into 
them,  striking  at  their  shins  with  my  stick.     They 

*  The  official  time  for  doctoring  is  just  before  the  evening  meal- 


1 98  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

knew  themselves  in  the  wrong  and  dodged  here  and 
there,  laughing  considerably,  and  trying  to  dodge  in 
under  my  blows  to  get  hold  of  their  loads.  This  was 
an  easy  matter,  as  I  could  not  get  around  in  very  lively 
fashion.  Then  they  went  off  down  the  trail  at  double 
quick  time,  and  never  offered  to  lay  down  a  load  imtil 
the  very  end  of  the  journey — a  tremendous  march. 
It  shows  what  they  can  do  when  they  get  to  it. 

We  saw  many  villages  and  houses  perched  up  in  the 
hnis.  At  one  place  the  people  were  just  starting  to  put 
up  a  new  house.  The  skeleton  of  the  roof  was  being 
raised  on  the  end  of  a  centre  pole,  a  good  deal  like  a  big 
umbrella.  After  it  was  in  place  they  proceeded  to 
fasten  the  sides  beneath  it.  These  people  drive  all 
their  flocks  inside  the  houses  at  night.  It  must  be 
warm  and  cozy,  to  say  the  least !  Twenty  or  thirty 
animals,  a  dozen  human  beings,  no  ventilation  what- 
ever, and  a  tropical  climate! 

At  last  we  stopped  on  the  wide  slope  of  the  last  hiU, 
which  dipped  down  to  the  Mara  River  and  then  grad- 
ually up  again  to  the  escarpment  twenty  miles  or  so 
away.  It  was  one  of  those  wide  sweeping  views  pe- 
culiar to  our  southwest  and  some  parts  of  Africa,  with 
small  slate-blue  kopjes  rising  from  milky  distance,  and 
then  the  dark  ranges.  I  made  camp  in  the  guest 
camp  of  the  village,  or  collection  of  villages  belonging 
to  a  sultan  named  Missambi.  The  main  house  had 
no  side  walls,  but  instead  a  sort  of  picket  fence  half- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  199 

way  up,  like  an  old-fashioned  summer  house.  I  had 
my  ground  sheet,  bed,  and  box  put  in  here,  and  I  could 
lie  on  my  cot,  fully  protected  from  the  sun,  get  all  the 
breeze,  and  watch  the  lights  change  and  soften  on  the 
ranges.  The  only  objection  to  it  as  a  camp-site  was 
the  fact  that  the  nearest  water  was  about  a  mile  dis- 
tant; but  that  is  usual  with  African  villages.  The 
women  have  to  carry  it;  and  I  suppose  woman's  time 
is  considered  valueless. 

After  what  was  to  one  in  my  condition  a  pretty  hard 
march,  I  did  not  feel  a  whole  lot  like  social  persiflage; 
but  that  was  part  of  the  job.  Therefore  I  propped  my- 
self up  in  my  bed  and  gave  Ali  the  signal  to  let  in  only 
those  in  authority.  They  came,  the  elders  of  the 
village,  grizzled,  dignified  old  men,  followed  by  slaves 
carrying  offerings  of  eggs,  milk,  native  flour,  and  pea- 
nuts. They  greeted  me  formally,  and  told  me  the 
sultan  had  gone  to  walk  around,  but  that  word  had 
been  sent  that  I  had  arrived.  I  opened  a  long  shauri 
for  porters,  giving  my  usual  elaborate  speech  and 
offering  one  rupee  a  head  bonus  for  each  man  brought 
to  me  who  would  do  good  cazi  for  a  month.  Then  I 
summoned  Ali  and  had  him  serve  them  coffee  in  the 
kitchen. 

About  an  hour  later,  while  I  was  writing  the  log,  a 
small  boy  of  about  ten  years  old,  dressed  in  a  piece  of 
snow-white  Mericani  and  wearing  a  tarboush,  came 
around.     I  glanced  at  him,  said   "hullo,  toto,^^  and 


200  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

went  on  writing.  After  a  while  one  of  the  porters, 
passing,  said  to  him,  "What  do  you  want  here?  " 

"I  want  to  see  the  white  man,  mimi  sultanV *  This 
infant  was  potentate  of  a  dozen  villages  I 

Well,  I  had  him  in  then,  you  may  be  sure,  and  we 
exchanged  lofty  civilities.  He  had  quite  an  idea  of 
dignity,  stood  very  erect,  answered  in  straightforward 
fashion,  and  spoke  excellent  Swahili.  While  we  were 
in  high  converse  a  row  broke  out  between  Ali  and  the 
man  supposed  to  carry  water.  The  latter,  a  Wakamba 
named  Mooli,  I  have  been  watching  for  a  week,  as  he 
has  been  getting  lazy  and  above  himself.  Now  he 
was  claiming  it  was  far  to  water,  he  was  tired,  etc., 
although  this  was  his  cazi,  and  Ali  was  having  diffi- 
culty in  moving  him.  I  yelled  for  him  to  shut  up  and 
do  his  work;  and  as  he  did  not  immediately  move,  got 
up  and  went  out.  He  seized  the  bucket  and  ran  down- 
hill a  short  distance,  then  stopped  and  began  to  jaw 
at  me. 

This  was  rank  insubordination,  and  every  head  was 
turned  to  see  what  I  would  do  about  it.  My  physical 
condition  prevented  the  usual  procedure,  which  would 
have  been  to  knock  him  down  on  the  spot;  so  I  put 
into  a  command  to  return  all  the  will  force  I  possessed, 
at  the  same  time  looking  at  him  sternly.  It  was  much 
as  one  would  compel  a  reluctant  dog.  He  hesitated, 
then  slowly  obeyed. 

*  I  am  the  sultan. 


vX  MISSAMBI — IN   WHITE — AND   ONE   OF  HIS   COURTIERS 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^IM^^Bb^H^B^^^^B^^  ''^^^^^fc 

MM 

g^^^ 

mm 

'17-.                          ''  iL^^lF^ni^^^^^H 

THESE    GIRLS    ARE    ALL   THE    AFFIANCKU    WIVES    OF    MISSAMBI.        THE    WHITE 

PAINTING   INDICATES   THAT   THE   CIRCUMCISION   CEREMONY   IS   ON 

SEE  PAGE    206 


GRASS   HUT   NEAR   MISSAMBI  S   VILLAGE   IN    WHICH   I   TOOK   UP    MY 

HEADQUARTERS 

SEE  PAGE   199 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  201 

He  took  his  kiboko  badly,  struggling  and  shouting  at 
the  men  who  were  holding  him ;  and  on  being  released 
he  jumped  to  his  feet  and  started  off  downhill  on  a  run. 

"Where  are  you  going?"  I  shouted  after  him. 

He  snarled  something  back  in  Wakamba,  which  I  do 
not  understand. 

"He  says  he's  going  to  Nairobi,"  three  or  four  men 
instantly  volunteered. 

"Seize  him!"  I  commanded. 

A  dozen  porters  started  in  pursuit,  but  he  gained  on 
them  at  every  step.  By  now  he  was  several  hundred 
yards  away,  and  at  every  moment  nearing  the  cover. 
Two  of  Missambi's  men,  wrapped  in  goatskins,  stood 
near.  I  caught  their  eager,  questioning  glance  and 
motioned  an  assent.  Instantly  they  dropped  their 
robes  and  darted  away,  fine  pictures  of  lithe,  naked 
savagery.  These  people  are  certainly  runners!  They 
bounded  easily;  but  within  a  half  mile  they  had  passed 
all  my  men,  and  within  a  few  hundred  yards  after  that 
they  had  seized  MooU.  The  whole  lot  surged  about 
him  in  a  frenzied,  shouting  mass.  For  a  moment  I 
was  afraid  in  their  excitement  they  might  actually  do 
murder;  and  I  cursed  again  the  wretched  back  that 
held  me  here.  In  a  moment  or  so,  however,  they  headed 
on  the  return  to  camp. 

Everybody  was  super-excited,  jabbering  away  madly, 
running  here  and  there.  I  had  on  my  hands  a  fine  ex- 
plosive mixture  of  savagery  that  might  go  off  at  any 


202  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

moment.  It  was  no  time  for  flash  judgment  nor  quick 
action,  that  was  most  certain. 

While  they  were  covering  the  distance  of  the  return 
journey  I  had  Ali  bring  out  my  canvas  chair,  and  es- 
tabhshed  myself  and  it  beneath  the  shade  of  a  tree. 
Mooli's  eyes  were  roUing.  Two  men  struggled  with 
him.     Evidently  he  was  about  ready  to  run  amok. 

Began  by  asking  him  innumerable  questions  requir- 
ing a  yes  or  no  for  answer;  and  insisted  on  getting 
that  answer.  At  first  it  was  difficult;  but  after  a  time 
I  got  his  mind  more  or  less  focussed,  which  was  what  I 
was  after.  "  You  were  going  to  Nairobi? "  "Do  you 
know  the  direction  of  Nairobi?"  "Do  you  know  that 
Nairobi  is  two  months'  safari  distant?"  "Do  you 
know  that  on  the  road  are  many  Masai  who  would 
spear  you?"  "Do  you  know  there  is  no  food  on  the 
road?"  "Do  you  know  that  if  you  went  to  Nairobi 
you  would  go  to  prison  for  two  years?"  (Sheer  bluff, 
of  course.)  "Do  you  know  that  even  if  you  were  to 
hide  in  your  tribe  the  askaris  would  find  you?  " 

This  interchange  took  time,  and  gave  an  opportunity 
for  everybody  to  calm  down.  At  the  end  of  it  all  the 
bystanders  were  calm  and  listening  with  the  deepest 
attention.     I  could  now  venture  on  the  didactic. 

"You  made  kalele  and  ran  away  when  you  got 
kiboko.  When  a  safari  boy  gets  kiboko  and  deserves  it 
he  says  nothing." 

This  is  so  true  that  a  deep  murmur  of  assent  went  up. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  203 

The  community  pride  was  touched.     A  general  desire 
to  say  something  became  evident. 

"WeU,  what  is  it,  Fupi?" 

Fupi:  "This  man  is  not  a  zanzibari:*  he  is  a  shenzi.'\ 
This  is  his  first  safari.  He  does  not  know  the  customs 
of  a  safari." 

By  this  I  knew  that  one  sHght  danger — that  of 
mutiny — was  past.  The  men,  touched  in  their  pro- 
fessional pride,  were  ready  to  repudiate  the  culprit. 

I  (grimly) :  "He  will  know  more  of  them  when  I  get 
through  with  him." 

Nods  of  approbation. 

Of  course  my  usual  procedure,  and  the  one  that 
would  be  expected  of  me,  would  be  to  inflict  exemplary 
punishment  with  the  kiboko.  I  did  not,  however,  think 
the  man  would  stand  it  in  his  present  frame  of  mind. 
However,  discipline  must  be  maintained. 

"If  this  were  a  real  safari  man,  I  should  give  him 
fifty  maramoja.'^  (Nods  and  whispers,  "Yes,'* 
"That  would  be  just,"  etc.)  "But  as  he  is  not  a 
safari  boy  I  will  be  easy  with  him.  If  he  ever  again 
makes  any  more  manena  he  gets  twenty-five  the  first 
time  and  fifty  the  next.  But  this  time  I  will  merely 
fine  him  one  month's  wages.  Bassi!  Now,  take  those 
pails  and  go  get  water! "  Off  trots  my  wild  man,  meek 
as  Moses,  and  he  has  been  a  good  boy  ever  since. 


*  Professional  porter, 
t  Savage. 


204  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Ali  now  rises  and  makes  a  short,  formal  speech.  ''The 
bwana  understands  safaris.  The  bwana  has  been  on 
many  safaris.  When  men  do  their  work  well,  bwana 
is  good;  but  when  they  do  their  work  badly,  then  he  is 
kali  Sana.  "* 

Well  pleased  with  all  this  because  (a)  this  man  needed 
stiffening  badly,  (b)  it  showed  the  safari  men  that  I 
know  my  business,  and,  above  all  (c),  the  Ungruimi 
were  present  and  heard,  and  the  affair  has  helped  my 
prestige  with  them. 

I  now  retired  to  my  cot.  The  sultan  and  his  im- 
mediate suite  crowded  in  after  me. 

Missambi  is  a  bright,  intelligent  boy  of  twelve  or 
thirteen,  with  a  rather  fine-cut  face,  big  soft  eyes,  and 
engaging  manners.  He  has  been  thoroughly  educated 
by  the  Germans  to  read  and  write  Swahili,  and  has  been 
taken  to  Shirati  and  Ikoma  for  short  residences.  In 
consequence  he  knows  a  good  deal  of  white  men's  in- 
stitutions, and  even  described  to  me  a  bicycle,  calHng 
it  a  "gharri  ya  quenda'^ — "a  vehicle  for  going."  Evi- 
dently he  has  been  trained  by  the  Germans  to  rule 
under  German  supervision.  His  ''right-hand  man  "  and 
general  playmate  is  a  boy  of  about  his  o\vn  age,  a 
youth  with  a  broad,  square  forehead  quite  out  of  the 
usual  negro  type.  His  immediate  influences  are:  first, 
a  young  man  of  about  twenty-five  or  so,  an  eager,  cal- 
culating, energetic,  politic,  rather  truculent  individual; 

*  Verj'  fierce. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  205 

and,  second,  an  elderly  man  of  the  old  school,  crafty, 
scheming,  autocratic,  cherishing  a  veiled  hostility  to 
the  white  domination,  having  no  Swahili.  Missambi, 
poor  boy,  was  thus  divided  in  mind  between  his  natu- 
rally friendly  disposition  and  desire  to  follow  his  orders 
and  the  strong  influence  the  elders  of  his  own  family 
can  always  exert  over  a  boy  of  that  age.  As  yet  he 
possessed  little  real  authority  over  his  people.  His 
orders  were  diluted  through  the  wishes  of  his  two  older 
guardians  or  relations.  That  they  had  any  effect  at  all 
was  due  somewhat  to  traditional  respect  for  the  heredi- 
tary chieftain,  but  principally  to  the  very  genuine  awe 
with  which  the  Germans  have  succeeded  in  inspiring 
their  savage  tribes. 

The  old  man  visited  me  once,  and  only  once.  We 
exchanged  formal  speeches  through  an  interpreter, 
proffered  each  other  small  presents,  he  made  his  salaam 
and  departed.  The  younger  man,  however,  was  always 
about.  He  had  an  eye  for  the  main  chance,  and  got 
everything  he  could  from  money  to  medicine.  That 
he  did  not  get  more  was  not  for  lack  of  asking.  He 
was  exceedingly  officious,  and  on  the  surface  eager  to  be 
of  service;  but  I  am  certain  that  underneath  the  surface 
of  things  his  influence  was  quite  as  strongly  against 
us. 

We  did  our  time-worn  tricks  amid  great  applause — 
the  opera  hat,  the  disappearing  coin,  the  sword  cane, 
the  image  in  the  reflex  camera,  etc.    Also,  by  a  happy 


2o6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

thought,  I  got  out  the  scissors  and  cut  out  paper  dolls 
— the  sort  done  from  a  folded  paper,  all  hold  of  hands. 
These  were  a  great  success.  Each  savage  had  to  have 
a  row  of  them.  It  was  certainly  a  ridiculous  sight — 
these  armed  grown  men  dangling  little  paper  figures 
up  and  down  in  an  n'goma*  After  these  preliminaries 
we  got  down  to  business.  I  wanted  eggs,  information, 
and  fifteen  men  to  carry  loads.  The  eggs  were  promised 
at  once ;  the  information  (false)  was  immediately  forth- 
coming; the  men  would  have  to  be  sent  for,  but  would 
surely  be  here  to-morrow.  I  then  instructed  Ali  to 
give  them  coffee  at  the  cook  camp.  Thus  rid  of  the 
lot,  I  enjoyed  well-earned  peace. 

Memba  Sasa  and  a  savage  had  been  out  all  afternoon 
scouting  for  alleged  Uganda  cob.  He  came  in  very  dis- 
gusted, reporting  nothing  but  impalla,  and  mighty  few 
of  them.  I  suspect  the  Ungruimi  names  for  cob  and 
impalla  are  the  same;  and  hence  the  misunderstand- 
ing.    So  there  goes  one  fond  hope ! 

In  the  dusk  of  evening  a  weird  and  ghastly  proces- 
sion came  down  past  us,  eight  or  ten  girls  painted  white 
from  crown  to  toe  and  variously  streaked  in  wavery 
lines.  I  asked  Missambi  about  them,  and  he  proudly 
told  me  those  were  his  affianced  brides,  and  that  this 
peculiar  decoration  was  of  the  nature  of  our  engage- 
ment rings ! 

I  am  just  settling  to  rest  a  bit  when  up  come  my 

*  Dance. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  207 

six  savage  bearers  from  Myeru's  village  and  line  up 
outside.     Call  an  interpreter. 

"What  do  you  want?" 

"We  want  to  go  home." 

This  is  the  usual  sporadic  outbreak,  and  I  give  them 
the  usual  reply: 

"All  right;  go  home.  But  then  you  get  no  wages  at 
aU." 

As  they  have  been  with  me  some  little  time  and 
have  done  considerable  work,  this  ought  to  settle  it. 
They  hold  a  short  shauri. 

"All  right,"  they  decide;  "we  want  no  wages;  we 
want  to  go  home." 

This  was  a  facer;  for  I  need  every  man  I  can  get 
hold  of.  Nothing  remains  but  to  bluff.  Of  course  I 
know  nothing  whatever  of  poUtical  conditions  in  this 
(to  me)  new  country;  but  I  can  make  a  shrewd  guess. 
I  rise  on  my  elbow  and  say  sternly : 

"If  you  go  home  now  without  finishing  your  cazi  I 
will  teU  the  bwana  m'kubwa  at  Shirati,  and  he  will  send 
askaris  and  wiU  take  away  your  cattle." 

The  guess  is  a  good  one.  They  raise  a  wild  shout,  as 
though  in  derision  at  themselves,  and,  quite  cheer- 
fully, retire. 

This  happens  every  once  in  a  while,  and  I  think 
they  merely  want  to  be  assured  that  they  cannot  go. 

Then  I  treat  a  man  for  fever,  another  for  too  much 
meat,  a  third  for  an  infected  small  wound,  and  a  fourth 


2o8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

for  incipient  ophthalmia.  At  last  I  have  Ali  bring 
water;  and  then  eat.  All  natives  are  banished  by  the 
zealous  Ali  while  this  sacred  rite  goes  on,  both  hands 
outspread,  shooing  them  off:  "Go  away!  go  away! 
Cannot  you  see  the  bwana  is  going  to  take  chakula?''^ 

Cuninghame  and  I  live  very  simply  and  are  healthy 
in  the  tumho.  Quaker  oats,  treacle,  coffee,  and  corn- 
cakes  the  invariable  breakfast;  meat,  bread,  and  tea 
for  lunch;  meat,  one  other  dish  (either  lima  beans,  rice, 
dehydro  carrots,  or  corn),  dried  fruit,  bread,  and  tea 
for  supper.  Not  much  in  variety,  but  great  in  quan- 
tity. 

I  ate  my  meal,  moved  with  difficulty  to  my  little  fire, 
and  sat  smoking  and  thinking  thoughts  until  a  heavy 
storm  drove  me  in.  The  display  of  lightning  was  mag- 
nificent, great,  wide,  jagged  flashes  that  went  not  only 
down  and  across,  but  even  up  in  tridents! 

Four  and  a  half  hours;  12  miles;  elevation,  3,700; 
morning  65;  noon,  90;  night,  74. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

September  21. — I  purported  to-day  sending  back 
four  of  my  own  men,  six  of  Myeru's  men,  and  ten 
promised  by  Missambi  to  bring  down  the  twenty  loads 
I  had  left  at  Myeru's.  Missambi  had  faithfully 
promised  to  have  them  here  by  six  o'clock.  Of  course 
they  were  not  on  hand,  and  finally  I  sent  off  my  ten  in 
advance — it  is  a  long  round  trip  for  one  day.  About 
eight  o'clock  the  sultan  came  in,  accompanied  by  a 
number  of  friends  to  whom  he  wanted  to  display  the 
wonders. 

"Where  are  your  men?"  I  demanded. 

He  explained  in  great  detail  that  they  were  on  their 
way  from  another  village.  As  it  seemed  necessary  to 
be  poHtic,  I  accepted  this — although  I  did  not  believe  it 
— and  went  through  my  gamut  of  tricks,  ending,  as 
before,  by  cutting  out  paper  dolls.  With  these  they 
were  again  immensely  pleased. 

Sent  Memba  Sasa  to  the  river  to  look  for  hippo  and 
fords.  WTiile  he  was  gone  I  hobbled  up  to  make  a  call 
at  the  village. 

This,  as  seems  usual  with  the  residences  of  these 

Central  African  potentates,  was  less  a  village  than  a 

collection  of  a  few  huts  occupied  by  the  leading  spir- 

209 


2IO  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

its  of  the  government  and  by  the  bodyguard.  The 
rulers  appear  generally  to  live  apart  from  their  sub- 
jects. At  times  this  is  probably  just  as  well.  I  have 
gathered  that  Missambi  is  either  the  supreme  ruler  of 
all  the  Ungruimi  or  controls  a  majority  of  the  villages. 
Certainly  his  sphere  of  influence  seems  much  more  ex- 
tensive than  that  of  either  of  the  other  kinglets  to  the 
south.  The  younger  of  the  prime  ministers  had  me  in 
to  look  at  a  wife  with  a  bad  leg.  It  was  a  very  bad  leg, 
the  sore  reaching  down  to  the  bone.  I  gave  him  a 
small  amount  of  antiseptic  and  directions,  and  in- 
structed him  to  bring  me  at  my  camp  a  big  water  jar  in 
which  I  would  mix  a  quantity  of  permanganate.  He 
seemed  very  grateful,  and  promised  to  bring  the  jar. 
For  some  reason  he  never  did  so. 

The  village  proper,  which  is  over  the  hill,  is  very 
large  and  scattered,  and  wealthy  in  cattle,  sheep,  goats, 
and  m'wembe. 

Returned  home,  and  tried  to  get  as  comfortable  as 
my  aches  would  let  me.  Did  some  reading  and  writ- 
ing, and  enjoyed  the  landscape.  Sent  periodical  mes- 
sages to  the  sultan  demanding  men,  and  received  always 
the  same  answer— that  they  were  coming  from  an- 
other viUage.  At  twelve  o  'clock  four  of  them  marched 
in  \mder  charge  of  a  head  man,  and  I  formally  en- 
tered them  in  the  books.  Missambi  now  sent  word 
that  these  were  aU  that  would  come  in  from  outside, 
but  the  others  would  be  sent  from  his  own  village. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  211 

Memba  Sasa  returned  reporting  two  practicable  fords, 
but  no  hippo. 

At  one  o'clock,  as  no  more  men  had  come  in,  I  re- 
solved on  a  change  of  policy.  Armed  the  gunbearers 
and  donkey  men,  and  sent  them  up  to  the  village  with 
a  peremptor}^  statement  that  I  wanted  to  see  Missambi. 
He  came,  with  his  prime  ministers.  To  him  I  spoke 
in  substance  as  follows: 

"You  promised  me  ten  men  at  daylight;  it  is  now 
afternoon  and  only  four  have  come.  Either  you  are 
not  acting  right,  or  else  you  have  no  authority  over 
your  people.  When  I  get  to  Alusoma  I  shall  tell  this 
to  the  bwana  m'kubwa  there.  If  he  thinks  you  have 
done  wrong,  he  will  send  askaris  and  take  from  you 
many  cattle  and  two  of  your  wives.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  he  thinks  you  have  no  authority,  he  will  appoint 
another  sultan  who  can  make  the  people  obey." 

I  delivered  this,  at  greater  length,  of  course,  in  a  very 
stern  and  lofty  tone.  He  listened,  looking  very'  miser- 
able, much  like  a  small  boy  on  the  verge  of  tears.  I 
think,  left  to  himself,  he  would  have  been  quite  amena- 
ble. His  chief  advisers,  however,  looked  as  black  as 
thunder  clouds,  though  they  dared  not  say  anything. 

Having  delivered  the  ultimatum — which  was  sheer 
bluff  and  quite  unauthorized — I  would  listen  to  no 
reply,  but  dismissed  them  at  once;  and  made  a  great 
parade  of  my  armed  forces! 

In  ten  minutes  four  more  men  came;  I  took  down 


212  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

their  names  and  sent  them  off  to  Myeru's  with  two  of 
my  own.  Shortly  after  Memba  Sasa  came  to  me  with 
the  startling  news  that  a  white  man  had  arrived  at  the 
sultan's.  The  only  possible  white  man  would  be  the 
German  official  at  Musoma  or  Ikoma,  both  many  days' 
travel  distant,  and  I  had  never  heard  of  their  coming 
this  far  in.  This  was  decidedly  awkward  after  my 
recent  bluff.  Here  I  had  been  threatening  in  the  name 
of  the  German  Government ;  and  behold !  the  German 
Government  was  on  hand  to  repudiate  me  and  resent 
my  unauthorized  use  of  it !  I  got  out  my  glasses  and 
tried  to  get  a  sight  of  the  man,  but  could  only  make 
out  his  figure.  I  had  Ali  get  out  the  one  bottle  of 
whiskey  and  the  box  of  German  cigars. 

At  the  end  of  half  an  hour  a  young  fellow  with  a 
wide  hat  and  a  green  tie  walked  down  the  path.  I 
hobbled  out  to  meet  him.  We  eyed  each  other  curiously. 

"How  are  you?"  said  I  at  last. 

At  the  English  he  brightened  perceptibly  and  re- 
turned my  greetings.  I  suggested  refreshments  and 
led  the  way.  He  told  me  he  had  lost  his  safari  two 
days  before  and  asked  if  I  had  seen  it.  With  him  only 
a  bow-and-arrow  savage  carrying — -a  bicycle!  After 
a  lot  of  sparring  it  developed  that  my  man  was  not  a 
German  official  at  all  but  a  fugitive  trying  to  escape 
from  such  officials  over  the  British  border.  He  had 
killed  illegally  three  elephants  near  Kilimanjaro — a 
two  months '  journey  to  the  east — and  had  been  dodg- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  213 

ing  farther  and  farther  toward  the  interior  trying  to  find 
a  spot  unguarded.  He  had  lost  his  men,  but  hoped  to 
come  up  with  them  beyond  the  ford  at  Mara.  He  had 
stopped  at  the  sultan 's  so  long  because  he  was  afraid  I 
might  be  a  German  official. 

He  was  very  furtive  and  uneasy,  a  young  Boer  with 
narrow,  topaz-coloured  eyes.  Asked  me  if  I  was  pros- 
pecting. 

''No;  shooting." 

"You  can't  have  much  to  do,"  said  he  contempt- 
uously. 

"Nothing  much,  except  helping  fellows  like  you 
along." 

This  cooked  him.  He  departed  in  five  minutes  or  so, 
going  hard,  followed  by  his  ugly  shenzi  with  the  bike 
across  his  shoulders.  He  told  me  he  would  go  to  South 
Africa,  remain  there  a  while,  change  his  name,  and 
come  back  for  the  ivory. 

"I  buried  it,"  he  said,  "and  I  don't  care;  I've  made 
my  money!" 

As  three  elephants  could  hardly  afford  a  very  large 
fortune,  and  as  his  expenses  would  be  heavy,  this 
sounded  like  bravado. 

Heavy  rain  at  six.  Back  and  legs  still  bad,  and 
especially  uncomfortable  at  night.  There  are  many 
hyenas  here.  They  howl  around  the  sheep  bomas,  and 
each  cry  is  instantly  answered  by  a  regular  chorus  of 
bleating.     Morning,  68;  noon,  90;  night,  75. 


214  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

September  22. — Loafed  all  morning.  Missambi  has 
recovered  from  his  scolding,  and  has  brought  in  eggs  as 
a  peace  offering.  My  back  and  legs  somewhat  better. 
At  noon,  after  lunch,  while  I  was  doctoring  my  various 
patients,  the  relay  came  back,  with  the  loads  from 
Myeru's;  and  almost  immediately,  to  my  great  surprise, 
Cuninghame  's  safari  topped  the  hill.  I  was  indeed  glad 
to  see  him,  for  I  had  not  expected  him  for  ten  days  yet. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  my  back  hit  me  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon:  by  ten  next  morning 
Cuninghame,  j^z^e  days^  distant,  was  told  all  the  details! 
I  had  often  heard  tales  of  how  rapidly  and  mysteri- 
ously news  travels  in  Africa;  but  I  had  never  before 
had  an  opportunity  of  experiencing  the  phenomenon. 
Many  explanations  are  offered,  some  of  them  pretty 
fanciful,  ranging  from  telepathic  dreams  to  drum 
signals.  I  have  no  explanation  myself;  but  only  a 
tentative  suggestion.  Often  I  have  noticed  how  the 
native  voice  carries.  Men  working  on  hills  on  either 
side  of  a  wide,  deep  caiion  will  talk  away  to  each  other 
all  morning.  In  order  even  to  attract  attention  I 
would  have  to  shout  very  vigorously.  Whenever  a 
white  man  has  a  command  to  issue  to  a  man  at  the 
other  end  of  camp  he  invariably  tells  one  of  his  boys  to 
say  it;  otherwise  he  would  have  considerably  to  exert  his 
voice.  The  native  speaks  loudly  and  clearly,  but  with- 
out yelling.  I  have  heard  it  said  that  this  is  because 
the  African  has  a  more  open  larynx  than  the  white  man. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  215 

Since  this  is  so,  I  can  see  no  reason  why  news  cannot  be 
passed  along  from  field  to  field,  cover  to  cover,  village 
to  village,  simply  as  a  matter  of  ordinary  conversation. 
The  fact  that  the  conversation  is  carried  on  at  a  range 
of  several  hundred  yards  instead  of  a  few  feet  has  noth- 
ing to  do  with  the  matter.  The  possibility  of  this 
hypothesis  is  aided  by  the  further  fact  that  the  Afri- 
can has  no  fixed  sleeping  hours.  Somebody  is  always 
awake  and  talking,  just  as  somebody  is  always  sleeping. 
If  it  strikes  the  native  as  a  good  idea  to  sit  by  a  fire, 
cook  up  a  little  something,  and  talk,  he  does  so  whether 
the  hour  is  2  a.  m.  or  2  p.  m.  And  it  must  be  remembered 
that  in  this  country  every  little  incident  to  do  with  so 
strange  a  creature  as  a  white  man  is  a  prime  bit  of 
news. 

In  this  way — or  some  other — Cuninghame  knew  I 
was  sick,  and  was  told  just  my  symptoms  and  what  I 
was  doing  for  myself.  His  first  thought  was  of  the 
deadly  blackwater  fever — that  hits  the  back.  So  he 
hastened  to  return. 

His  report  was  about  the  usual  African  thing.  The 
elephants  dwelt  in  a  huge  papyrus  swamp  where  they 
were  absolutely  inaccessible.  They  came  out  once  a 
year.  Then,  provided  you  could  bribe  several  villages 
of  the  \\'irigi  to  take  to  the  hills  and  keep  away,  you 
got  one  shot.  Then  all  the  elephants  went  back  into 
the  papyrus  swamp!  The  country  north  of  the  IMara 
is  full  of  sleeping  sickness,  and  therefore  out  of  the 


2i6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

question.  Two  or  three  days'  march  west  he  struck  a 
powerful  chief  named  WaUoba,  who  rides  mules  at  800 
rupees  per  mule,  and  is  generally  a  personage;  and  sold 
our  last  four  donkeys  to  him — when  we  shall  arrive — 
at  80  rupees.  In  his  territory  were  buffalo;  and  Cun- 
inghame  had  found  out  where. 

We  talked  the  matter  over,  then  resolved  to  store  the 
bulk  of  our  goods  here  with  Missambi;  to  strike  di- 
rectly south  in  search  of  a  river  called  the  Ruwana  or 
Rubana  where  several  people  had  told  us  many  lions 
were  to  be  found;  and  then  either  to  return  here  or  to 
Walioba's. 

Accordingly  we  spent  the  afternoon  making  up  loads, 
interrupted  by  occasional  heavy  showers. 

Morning,  65;  noon,  95;  night,  70. 


CHAPTER    XVIII 

cuninghame's  report 

September  14. — Departed  Table  Mountain  Camp 
7:00  A.  M.  and  marched  sixteen  miles  (see  map)  to 
Mitomeris.  Passed  prospector's  camp  en  route  and 
had  a  half  hour 's  chat  with  him.  He  was  working  for 
some  German  mining  company  and  seemed  not  over 
hopeful  of  his  results.  Had  been  there  six  months  and 
knew  nothing  whatever  of  his  locahty,  not  even  where 
Shirati  was  or  his  owti  position  on  the  map.  Bright  boy, 
this.  Camped  at  big  village  named  Kiamburi,  bought 
one  load  of  posho,  and  found  a  man  who  has  travelled 
much  all  over  German  East  Africa  and  British  East 
Africa.  He  reports  elephant  ahead  in  swamp,  also  cob, 
but  no  buffs.  The  cook  guide  has  given  me  posi- 
tion of  ferry  all  wrong,  as  there  are  two  places  named 
Jamawi,  and  the  one  on  the  Mara  River  so  named  is 
not  the  ferr>'  place.  Also  have  heard  native  rumours 
of  quarantine  from  ferry  to  Shirati  which  require  look- 
ing into.  All  natives  go  to  Musoma  for  any  business. 
May  get  further  news  at  next  camp.  Shot  one  kongoni 
for  meat  {B.  Neumanii)*  Saw  absolutely  not  a  head 
of  game  during  march,  and  only  three  Neumanii  here. 

*  This  refers  to  the  type  1  tentatively  call  Nakuru. 

217 


2i8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

September  15. — Departed  Kiamburi  at  6:00  a.  m. 
and  marched  fourteen  miles  to  camp  near  big  swamp 
(see  map).  Located  position,  but  map  seems  all 
wrong  about  the  course  of  the  Mara  River.  M  'ganga 
found  a  friend  who  guided  me  here  and  gave  me  much 
news  re  a  simha*  locality  on  the  Ruwana  River  (see 
map).  Also  got  much  news  re  ferry  but  have  not 
located  it  on  map.  Made  a  three  hours'  inspection  tour 
in  afternoon.  Covered  a  lot  of  country.  Found  no 
elephant  spoor  except  some  a  year  old.  Cob  also  re- 
ported here,  but  saw  none  and  am  sure  none  ever  existed. 
Few  topi,  few  waterbuck,  one  impalla.  Mosquitoes 
start  business  at  twelve  noon  and  are  very  thick  ever}^- 
where  now  (6:30  p.  m.).  No  anopheles  seen.  Sun  ex- 
tremely powerful  all  day.  March  to  another  reported 
elephant  swamp  to-morrow. 

September  16. — Departed  6:00  a.  m.  and  marched 
twenty  miles;  made  shauri  en  route  at  a  village  named 
Walioba  (or  that  is  the  sultan's  name).  From  him  I 
got  the  following  information:  The  elephants  were 
now  somewhere  in  the  middle  of  the  Masirori  Swamp 
and  meant  to  remain  there  until  the  river  rose  and 
flooded  them  out.  Usually  this  occurs  by  the  end  of 
October  or  middle  of  November.  They  then  come 
shoreward  and  out  among  the  thorn  trees.  None  has 
been  shot  or  shot  at  for  a  long  time.  If  you  want  to 
try  to  get  one  you  must  get  some  harua\  from  the 

*Lion.  t  Written  paper. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  219 

Germans  (which  I  could  not  quite  fathom)  or  else 
Walioba  will  not  give  any  assistance.  If  all  seems  in 
order  to  him,  then  he  gives  certain  instructions  to  the 
surrounding  shambas  to  retire  or  keep  very  quiet, 
and  possibly  you  may  get  a  chance  for  a  shot.  If  a 
shot  is  fired  that  seems  to  be  the  end  of  all  things,  for 
either  you  get  your  temho  or  they  clear  out  and  do  not 
return  to  the  vicinity  for  weeks.  It  is  absolutely  im- 
possible to  hunt  in  the  swamp,  and  from  what  I  have 
seen  of  it  I  quite  agree.  He  reported  buff  locality  five 
or  six  hours  from  his  village.  As  there  are  shambas  in 
close  proximity  these  buffs  are  in  all  probability  noc- 
turnal in  their  habits.  They  dwell  in  thick  bush,  and 
natives  are  reported  to  be  able  to  get  at  them,  for  they 
killed  two  for  the  Germans  six  months  ago  after  the 
the  sportsmen  had  tried  to  shoot  two  for  themselves. 
This  buff  place  may  be  worth  inspection.  After  ob- 
taining this  information,  marched  on  to  the  ferry  and 
arrived  there  at  3  :oo  p.  m.  Sun  very  powerful  and  no 
breeze.  On  reaching  ferry  I  got  hold  of  the  askari  in 
charge  after  much  manena;*  and  having  made  a  good 
march  I  hoped  to  get  across  to-day  and  camp  on  the 
north  bank.  No  luck  for  me.  The  dugout  (and  there 
is  only  one)  was  not  capable  of  holding  more  than 
one  man  and  a  toto'\  and  the  latter  had  to  bale  out  for 
dear  life  during  the  passage.     There  is  not  another 

*  Chatter, 
t  Child. 


220  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

dugout  left  on  the  river  as  every  native  canoe  has  been 
seized  and  taken  to  Musoma  or  destroyed.  This  on 
sleeping  sickness  grounds.  There  is  nothing  left  me 
but  to  march  to  Musoma  which  is  reported  seven  hours* 
distant.  Such  is  Africa  and  plans  made  therein.  Ap- 
parently there  are  no  cob  in  this  locality.  All  the  in- 
formation re  the  "Suma"  animal  refers  to  impalla,  I 
am  quite  certain  now  over  this.  Sitatunga  certainly 
do  inhabit  the  Masirori  Swamp,  as  they  have  occasion- 
ally been  seen  by  natives  when  fishing  from  their  dug- 
outs, but  to  get  one  seems  absolutely  impossible  in  so 
large  and  dense  a  swamp.  Mosquitoes  real  bad  again 
here  at  6  :oo  p.  m.  Large  scale  map  ends  near  this  camp 
and  small  map  not  much  use  to  work  by.  Sun  very 
powerful  again  to-day. 

September  17. — Left  ferry  camp  at  6:00  a.  m.  and 
marched  to  Musoma.  Pedometer  registered  seven- 
teen miles  but  considered  distance  to  be  fifteen  as  cal- 
culated by  pace  and  time  occupied.  This  is  a  poor 
little  place  but  some  day  may  boast  more  than  a  name. 
Plenty  of  dukkas*  here,  but  nothing  in  them  except 
nigger  stuff. 

I  do  not  intend  to  call  on  the  officer  in  charge,  as 
there  seems  no  occasion  to  do  so.  I  can  see  no  signs  of 
a  port  being  made  but  there  is  some  gold-mining 
machinery  lying  about  the  place,  I  forgot  to  mention 
that  the  askari  told  me  yesterday  that  there  is  no  way 

*  Indian  shops. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  221 

down  the  river  from  the  western  end  of  swamp,  so  you 
must  go  around  it  as  I  did  and  camp  as  far  as  possible 
from  it.  Water  good  in  swamp.  Quite  a  few  donkeys 
here  at  100  Rs  per  head! 

MUSOMA  TO  SHIRATI 

By  road,  on  ordinary  marching,  four  days. 

By  dhow,  ten  to  fifteen  hours,  according  to  wind. 
Rates,  2  Rs  each  white  man,  J  R  each  native, 
30  cents*  each  load.  Can  always  rely  on  obtaining  a 
dhow  in  two  days  at  Musoma.  Quarantine  regu- 
lations on  and  a  doctor  must  pass  all  natives  before  the 
dhow  will  take  same  on  board.  Have  been  hunting  that 
medicine  man  two  hours,  but  cannot  find  him.  Have 
arranged  for  a  dhow  to  take  me  across  to-morrow  as 
soon  as  I  can  fix  up  matters  with  the  doctor.  No 
porters  procurable  here,  not  even  one.  No  posho  pro- 
curable here  except  a  little  Mwanza  rice  at  5  Rs  (50 
cents)  per  load  (same  as  Nairobi  price!).  Donkeys 
do  well  and  thrive  here.  No  fly  and  all  cattle  look 
fat  and  well.  Have  seen  cattle  in  shambas  continually 
since  leaving  Table  Mountain  Camp.  Everything 
here  at  famine  prices  and  no  one  ever  heard  of  treacle, 
dried  fruit,  and  such  like.  Shirati  is  reported  to  be  no 
better  in  this  respect. 

September  18. — Found  the  doctor  at  7:00  a.  m. 
and  he  informs  me  that  practically  all  the  country 

*  ^  10  cents  American  money. 


222  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

north  of  the  Mara  River  is  rigorously  closed  to  white 
and  black  alike,  and  the  only  way  in  is  via  Shirati,  by 
steamer  or  dhow.     Sic  transit  cupabi  elafantorum. 
(Here  Cuninghame  heard  of  my  illness  and  returned.) 


CHAPTER  XIX 

September  23. — We  were  ready  to  march  at  six, 
but  Missambi  's  ten  men — who  had  slept  in  the  village — 
did  not  show  up.  Repeated  messages  failed  to  unearth 
them;  so  at  seven  we  started  on  for  ]\Iyeru's,  leaving 
M'ganga  to  bring  on  the  rest — when  he  could  find 
them.  Passing  the  "royal  palace,"  we  stopped  and 
made  parting  bluffs  at  Missambi  and  his  advisers,  who 
were  sullen. 

There  was  some  local  dissension,  and  the  truth  of  the 
matter  is  that  Missambi  had  no  real  authority,  though 
himseK  well-disposed. 

Had  my  chair  carried,  and  sat  down  in  it  from  time 
to  time.  Much  better;  and  the  hills  seemed  to  have 
shrunk  since  the  do\Mi  trip.  Got  some  seeds  of  the 
red-flowering  tree.  jNIade  the  twelve  miles  in  four 
and  a  half  hours,  and  camped  again  at  our  old  camp 
near  the  Sultan  Myeru.  He  brought  us  in  eggs  and 
milk,  two  loads  of  tu'wembe,  and  seemed  glad  to  see  us. 
We  promised  him  meat  on  the  morrow.  As  I  did  not 
feel  up  to  it,  Cuninghame  went  out  in  the  afternoon 
and  shot  two  topi  for  our  own  use.  M  'ganga  got  in  at 
six-thirty  with  ten  men,  but  different  ones  than  we  had 

listed  before.    They  had  learned  the  other  men 's  names, 

223 


2  24  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

however,  so  we  succeeded  in  listing  only  three  to  re- 
port to  Musoma  as  deserters.* 

Morning,  68;  noon,  88;  night,  69. 

September  24. — Off  at  6:15,  accompanied  by  a 
retinue  of  shenzis  for  meat.  The  head  man  blandly  in- 
formed us  that  the  sultan  had  sent  orders  we  were  to 
shoot  him  four  beasts!  We  replied  that  we  were  not 
under  the  sultan's  orders,  and  that  two  would  be 
enough.  Shortly  ran  into  a  topi  which  I  killed  at 
about  150  yards;  and  then  another.  The  bullet  (150 
gr.)  at  180  yards  entered  right  shoulder,  dove  straight 
down,  came  out  halfway  down  inside  of  left  leg,  turned 
at  right  angles,  went  through  right  leg,  and  hit  the 
ground  between  me  and  the  animal.  This  is  the 
most  erratic  bit  of  twisting  I  have  known  even  the 
Springfield  to  do.  We  continued  on  past  my  lion  camp 
and  up  between  the  donga  and  the  range  to  the  right. 
About  eleven  I  killed  a  zebra  for  camp  meat  at  240 
yards,  and  a  half  hour  later  we  camped  near  the  last 
waterhole  on  the  hither  side  of  a  wide  low  pass  between 
two  tablelands.     These  tablelands  form  the  dividing 


*It  seems  that  my  bluff  of  the  day  before  was  not  so  far  off  the  truth. 
The  Germans  take  the  greatest  amount  of  trouble  in  following  up  complaints 
on  the  part  of  white  men  of  desertion  or  bad  treatment  by  the  natives  within 
their  sphere  of  influence.  This  is  as  it  should  be,  especially  in  a  wild  country, 
and  adds  to  the  white  man's  comfort  and  efficiency,  as  well  as  the  natives' 
well-being  and  opportunities.  The  bugaboo  of  "forced  labour,"  so  called, 
seriously  handicaps  British  administration.  The  native  will  not  work  unless 
he  is  forced  to  do  so;  but  when  once  he  is  at  the  job  he  is  perfectly  contented. 
As  labour  is  the  first  step  in  his  education  beyond  what  he  has  always  been, 
it  is  as  absurd  to  let  him  off  his  share  as  it  would  be  to  permit  children  to 
stay  home  from  school  at  will.  That  is  "forced  labour, "  too,  when  you  come 
right  down  to  it.  Humankind  is  all  doing  forced  labour.  Of  course  the 
corollary  of  proper  treatment  in  every  sense  of  the  word  is  implied. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  225 

line  between  the  Mara  waters  and  those  of  the  Ru- 
wana. 

Hard  work  to  get  shade,  which  the  great  power  of 
the  sun  makes  very  desirable  at  noon.  Cuninghame 
saw  a  roan  and  tried  to  stalk  it,  but  was  preceded  by 
an  unsuspected  savage  who  loosed  an  arrow  at  it  about 
as  Cuninghame  was  in  range.  Quite  a  big  lot  of  wilde- 
beeste  and  topi  here. 

On  the  march,  during  a  stop,  our  savages  found  some 
water,  and  one  of  them  brought  a  cooking  pot  full  back 
to  his  friends.  Our  own  lazy  men,  instead  of  going 
after  their  own,  crowded  around,  dipping  at  it  with 
their  cups.  The  savages  did  not  dare  object,  but  Cun- 
inghame and  I,  vastly  indignant,  waded  in  and  gave  the 
safari  boys  a  lesson.  I  think  the  incident  did  much  to 
make  us  solid  with  the  shenzis — that  and  lots  of  meat ! 

Six  hours;  14^  miles;  elevation,  4,000;  morning,  62; 
noon,  90;  night,  72. 

September  25. — We  are  so  used  to  heat  that  now 
when  it  is  below  65  we  hug  a  fire  and  complain  of  the 
bitter  weather.  We  started  this  morning  up  a  wide, 
flat  valley,  gradually  rising  to  the  dividing  woods  and 
the  clumps  of  trees  atop.  Literally  thousands  of  head 
of  game,  but  very  wild.  It  thundered  away  at  bare 
distant  sight  of  us,  leaving  only  a  haze  of  fine  dust. 
The  animals  were  mostly  wildebeeste,  with  a  great 
many  topi  and  zebra,  some  eland,  impalla,  Nakuru 
hartebeeste,  and  one  roan. 


2  26  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

From  the  pass  we  were  vouchsafed  a  view  southwest 
over  wide  plains  extending  off  into  hazy  distance,  and 
some  very  dim  blue  mountains  perhaps  forty  miles 
away.  We  thought  to  make  out  the  winding  course  of 
the  Ruwana.  The  day 's  journey  toward  this  plain  was 
through  country  very  much  like  the  outermost  foothills 
of  our  Sierra  Nevadas — low  rolling  hills,  scattered  high 
chaparral  and  buckthorn,  rock  outcrops,  and  little 
flat  valleys  of  dried  yellow  grass  with  a  terrific  reflected 
heat. 

About  noon  we  caught  sight  of  several  small  native 
villages,  apparently  deserted;  and  as  we  saw  quite  a 
few  tsetse  flies,  we  thought  we  knew  the  reason.  The 
tsetse  seems  to  be  gradually  extending  its  range,  and 
crowding  the  cattle-raising  savages  inward. 

Camped  huddled  in  the  thin  shade  of  two  thorn 
trees  near  a  lone  waterhole — which  we  found  after 
some  search — and  endured  the  midday  heat.  At  four, 
although  the  thermometer  was  still  at  90,  the  sun  had 
lost  much  of  its  strength,  so  we  went  out  to  look  for 
meat.  The  astute  reader  of  this  has  discovered  that 
we  require  either  one  large,  two  medium,  or  three  smaller 
beasts  per  diem  to  keep  fed  up.  This  is  important,  as 
we  have  little  other  food.  We  ourselves  are  now  dow^n 
to  tea,  sugar,  rice,  lima  beans  (nearly  gone),  flour,  and 
a  little  dried  fruit.  Shot  a  topi  through  the  heart, 
210  yards.  He  ran  in  a  short  circle  for  fifty  yards, 
then  dove  with  a  magnificent  bound  headlong  into  the 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  227 

middle  of  a  small  bush.  Of  course  he  was  dead  before 
he  hit  the  ground.  Shortly  after  got  another  topi 
through  the  heart  at  80  yards. 

In  camp  we  found  some  of  the  local  savages.  They 
are  like  the  Ungruimi  in  beauty  of  physique,  but  are 
taller.  They  called  themselves  the  Wasunyi.  From 
them  we  learned  that  the  entire  plain  of  the  Ruwana  is 
filled  with  people  and  cattle,  and  that  there  is  little  or 
no  game.  After  a  long  talk,  realizing  fully  that  it 
would  not  be  to  their  interest  to  deceive  us,  since  they 
are  always  keen  for  meat,  we  decided  that  the  journey 
would  not  be  worth  while  and  that  we  should  turn  back. 
One  of  the  savages  offered  to  go  along  and  show  us  the 
water,  an  offer  we  accepted. 

Six  hours  ten  minutes;  13  miles;  hunt,  4  miles;  ele- 
vation 4,400;  morning,  56;  noon,  93;  night,  78.  Back 
slowly  getting  better. 

September  26. — Back  along  the  hiUs  we  came  over 
yesterday,  but  at  a  lower  level — about  halfway  up 
their  broad,  easy  slope.  For  a  short  distance  I  par- 
alleled the  safari,  accompanied  by  a  savage,  to  get 
meat  promised  them.  When  I  had  killed  a  topi  with 
two  shots  at  136  yards,  he  left  me,  and  I  rejoined  the 
safari.  Much  game,  but  exceedingly  wild.  At  the 
end  of  about  three  hours  our  guide  showed  us  a  sort  of 
rock  tank  of  water,  and  we  encamped.  The  pool  was  in- 
accessible to  game,  so  the  water  was  clear  and  cool — a 
refreshing  novelty.     A  rhino  came  out  of  the  bush 


2  28  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

about  forty  yards  away,  snorted  indignantly,  and  trot- 
ted ofif,  his  tail  and  head  up.     Found  tsetse. 

At  three  we  went  scouting  over  the  hills  and  through 
the  valleys,  which  here  are  stonier  and  more  rugged  than 
any  we  have  seen  for  some  time.  All  this  country  is 
well  elevated,  so  that  occasionally  we  get  glimpses  afar 
to  lower  levels.  Much  game,  but  still  very  wild.  It  is 
so  abundant  that  you  cannot  stalk  one  beast  without 
being  seen  by  a  hundred  others,  so  shooting  is  very 
difficult.  By  sheer  luck  I  managed  to  find  a  lone  zebra 
lost  from  his  friends,  and  calling  for  them  in  the  most 
indignant  fashion.  Managed  to  sneak  him,  and  downed 
him  with  two  shots  at  no  yards.  A  little  farther  I 
shot  an  oribi  for  ourselves  at  sixty. 

Then  we  came  to  another  valley  in  the  green  pas- 
tures of  which  grazed  a  big  herd  of  wildebeeste.  This 
lot  I  managed  to  stalk  because  I  was  above  them,  and 
got  to  within  250  yards,  from  which  point  I  hit  one  in 
the  heart.  At  the  sound  of  the  shot  a  cheetah  that  had 
been  lying  under  a  tree,  probably  waiting  a  chance  for  a 
calf,  jumped  to  his  feet  and  made  off.  Missed  the  first 
shot,  but  landed  the  second  "running  deer"  fashion, 
through  the  heart,  200  yards — sheer  luck. 

While  the  men  attended  to  these  Cuninghame  and  I 
went  to  look  for  water  and  by  chance  stumbled  on  a 
craftily  concealed  Wasunyi  "shooting  box."  It  was 
no  temporary  affair,  but  had  well-built  bandas,  racks 
for  drying  meat,  etc.,  and  could  be  found  only  by 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  229 

accident.  They  had  been  there  recently,  and  were  suc- 
cessful, for  we  found  scraps  of  kongoni,  zebra,  water- 
buck,  and  eland.  Later  we  often  came  across  these 
savages  hunting,  and  while  we  never  had  a  chance  to 
see  them  actually  at  it — since  they  always  ran  when 
they  saw  us — we  admired  the  lithe  savage  pictures 
they  made,  stark  naked,  armed  with  long  bows,  slipping 
from  shadow  to  shadow.  The  usual  method  is  to  drive 
the  game.  The  bowmen  station  themselves  in  the 
kno-wTi  routes  and  passes  by  which  the  beasts  are  most 
likely  to  go.  No  wonder  the  game  is  wild.  It  has 
probably  been  harried  by  untold  generations.  The 
few  so  killed  amount  to  nothing;  but  the  method 
trains  the  rest  to  run  at  sight.  The  zebra  here  are 
very  noisy,  keeping  up  a  perpetual  barking  day  and 
night.     I  suppose  they  have  nerves. 

The  word  to  come  in  this  part  of  Africa  is  moochie.  I 
wonder  if  our  slang  word  "to  mooch  about"  came  by 
way  of  early  travellers  from  here ! 

Two  hours  forty-five  minutes;  7^  miles;  hunt,  7  miles; 
elevation,  4,450;  morning,  66;  noon,  92;  night,  77. 

September  27. — Resolved  to  move  camp  a  few  miles 
to  where  I  had  killed  the  cheetah,  as  there  seemed  to  be 
more  game  there.  On  the  way  we  ran  into  a  herd  of 
fifteen  roan,  and  I  managed  to  down  one  at  (about) 
150  yards  before  they  ran.  Found  a  good  shady 
thicket  to  camp  in  with  a  rain-water  puddle  near. 
Cuninghame  and  I  went  in  different  directions  to  scout. 


230  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

We  both  had  exactly  the  same  experience:  heaps  of 
game,  but  if  a  single  head  caught  sight  of  us  and  ran, 
every  other  creature  went,  too,  without  waiting  to  see 
what  it  was  about.  Then  others  saw  them  moving,  and 
followed  suit,  until  the  whole  country  for  miles  was  off. 

By  luck  I  saw  a  wildebeeste  looking  over  the  skyline 
of  a  hill  at  me.  I  could  only  see  his  head  and  neck,  and 
had  to  shoot  standing,  but  landed  him,  by  luck,  at  2 1 1 
yards.  Dropped  in  his  tracks,  but  when  I  went  up  I 
found  him  diseased!  and  so  left  him.  On  the  way 
back  to  camp  came  on  a  zebra  aroimd  the  corner  of  a 
bush,  and  laid  him  out  at  104  yards  before  he  had  re- 
covered from  his  surprise.  Cuninghame  got  nothing. 
At  noon  he  was  suddenly  taken  with  an  attack  of  fever 
that  sent  him  to  bed.  Spent  the  afternoon  writing,  read- 
ing, taking  care  of  Cuninghame,  and  being  amazed  at 
the  men  who  "played  soldier,"  just  like  small  boys, 
with  unflagging  zest  for  a  solid  two  hours,  drilling  with 
sticks  for  guns.     Weather  very  damp  and  sultry, 

September  28. — Cuninghame  laid  up  with  his  fever, 
so  I  started  off  early  and  made  a  complete  circuit  of  the 
hill  where  we  had  seen  the  roan  the  day  before.  The 
rocky  hilltops  are  charmingly  wooded  in  little  thickets 
and  groves,  with  openings  between.  Saw  plenty  of 
Nakuru  hartebeeste  and  some  duiker,  beside  the  usual 
topi,  zebra,  and  wildebeeste.  Also  caught  sight  of 
smoke  from  shenzi  campfires  about  two  miles  away. 
Killed  a  topi  for  meat  at  146  yards. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  231 

Returned  to  camp  and  found  Cuninghame  sleeping, 
so  continued  on  for  another  beast  for  meat.  Hit  a 
Nakuru  hartebeeste  in  the  shoulder,  but  the  bullet  dove 
down,  and  I  lost  the  animal  in  the  heavy  cover,  though 
we  managed  to  trail  it  some  distance.  Shortly  downed 
another  at  135  yards  with  three  shoulder  shots,  all  of 
which  went  way  through.  This  ended  my  experi- 
ments with  the  150  grain  bullet.  It  is  a  killer,  but  its 
action  is  too  uncertain,  as  a  certain  proportion  go  right 
through  or  dive  freakishly.  The  165  or  172  gr.  much 
better. 

Returned  to  camp  to  find  Cuninghame  much  im- 
proved. M  'ganga  tells  me  some  Kavirondos  had  come 
away  down  from  their  country  to  hunt,  but  hearing  my 
shots  ran  away.  They  do  not  want  to  meet  a  white 
man,  as  they  have  come  through  the  sleeping  sickness 
belt  just  to  the  north,  and  are  afraid  of  being  shut  up. 
Many  flies  here — fuss  flies,  buzz  flies,  and  blowflies. 

Nine  miles;  morning,  63;  noon,  90;  night,  79. 

September  29. — Cuninghame  announced  himself  as 
able  to  travel.  While  the  safari  were  preparing  I  vis- 
ited our  bait,  as  two  leopards  had  been  caUing  there 
for  three  hours.  We  heard  them  go  away,  snarling, 
just  before  it  was  hght  enough  to  shoot.  Saw  a  re- 
markably fat  hyena,  however.  On  the  way  back  we 
jumped  two  wildebeeste,  and  I  managed  to  get  one 
running,  three  ex  five  shots,  through  the  thick  bush, 
at  somewhere  about  1 50  yards. 


232  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Marched  by  a  good  native  path  four  and  a  half  hours 
through  passes  in  broken,  hilly  country,  and  emerged 
on  a  wide  grass  plain  surrounded  by  mountains,  with 
a  remarkably  rocky  single  peak  in  the  middle  of  it. 
Many  herds  of  wildebeeste,  zebra,  and  topi  grazed  in 
the  open,  and  from  above  we  could  see  countless  sav- 
ages, singly  and  in  numbers,  trekking  back  and  forth 
across  it. 

In  the  path  we  came  across  some  very  curious  "medi- 
cine," to  which  all  our  boys  gave  a  wide  berth — first,  an 
old  cooking  pot,  then  some  ashes,  then  crossed  sticks, 
a  hoe,  and  a  knife,  strung  out  for  ten  feet  or  more. 
Memba  Sasa  said  it  was  intended  to  kill  an  enemy,  but 
Cuninghame  kicked  it  all  aside  and  saved  some  one 's 
life,  to  everybody's  open  horror. 

Near  the  rocky  single  peak  I  cut  off  to  get  meat, 
while  the  safari  went  on  to  find  water  and  make  camp. 
Got  a  topi  with  two  shots  at  250  and  200  yards;  and  an- 
other at  234.  As  we  are  now  nearing  the  lake  and  have 
plenty  of  carriers,  I  tried  for  a  desired  wildebeeste  head, 
but  here  all  seem  to  be  cows  and  calves.* 

Had  some  difficulty  in  locating  camp,  so  went  up  to 
a  native  village  for  information,  and  was  met  by  the 
finest  savage  ever.  He  was  a  very  big  man,  with  a 
slanting  feather  in  his  topknot,  armlets  and  necklace 
with  danglers,  a  little  square  of  goatskin  edged  with 

*  In  this  and  the  three  other  big  park-like  plains  in  the  vicinity  this  was 
true.  The  bulls  were  elsewhere.  Curiously  enough  there  seemed  to  be  no 
lions  hereabouts.     One  would  think  they  would  follow  the  young  calves. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  233 

steel  beads  over  one  shoulder,  spear  and  shield,  and 
anklets  made  to  ring  like  bells  at  every  step — a  fine, 
proud  wild  creature.  He  jingled  away  in  front  of  me 
and  led  me  to  camp  under  a  big  tree  by  the  only 
waterhole.  I  asked  my  savage  for  eggs,  and  sat  down 
to  cool  off.     Noon  sun  very  fierce  in  this  country. 

Our  camp  was  on  a  gentle  slope  of  the  hill  and  about 
200  feet  above  the  plain  that  extended  for  miles.  We 
could  sit  in  the  shade  and  watch  the  game  herds  at 
leisure.  Was  all  prepared  to  get  a  picture  of  my 
savage  when  he  should  return  with  the  eggs,  but  he 
came  back  rigged  like  a  scarecrow  in  tattered  old 
khaki !  Cuninghame  made  the  trip  quite  well,  and  shot 
a  topi  near  camp,  but  was  quite  done  up. 

Askaris  are  out  hereabouts  collecting  hut  tax  for  the 
German  Government.  They  count  the  huts  in  each 
village,  lay  out  a  stick  for  each  hut,  do  them  up  in  a 
bundle,  and  carry  them  out  to  the  official  at  Shirati. 
The  latter  then  calls  in  the  sultans,  produces  the  bundles 
of  sticks,  and  says: 

"Here  are  twenty-two  sticks — sixty-six  rupees  7nar- 
amoja  or  I'll  collect  from  your  cattle."  There  is  said 
never  to  be  any  dispute  as  to  the  tally. 

At  four  o'clock  Cuninghame  and  I  got  our  chairs  out 
in  the  shade,  unlimbered  our  glasses,  and  amused  our- 
selves by  scanning  the  plain  below.  Some  topi  and  a 
single  wildebeeste  were  grazing  about  500  yards  be- 
low.    Suddenly  they  all  scattered  off  at  a  great  speed. 


234  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

"Wonder  what  started  them!"  said  Cuninghame. 
Then  we  saw  a  black  dog  about  the  size  of  a  pointer. 
Paying  no  attention  to  the  topi,  he  took  after  the  wilde- 
beeste.  The  latter  loped  easily,  while  the  dog  fairly 
had  to  scratch  gravel  to  hold  his  own.  It  looked  like  a 
sure  thing  for  the  wildebeeste,  but  the  dog  was  a 
stayer.  Farther  and  farther  they  went  until  they  be- 
came mere  specks,  and  we  had  to  take  to  our  glasses. 
About  two  miles  away  the  wildebeeste  dodged  and 
doubled,  then  ran  through  a  herd.  The  dog  never  lost 
sight  of  the  one  he  was  after,  and  paid  no  attention  to 
the  rest.  At  last*  the  animal  turned  at  bay,  making 
short  lunges  and  charges,  which  the  dog  dodged,  trying 
to  get  in  at  the  beast's  hindquarters.  Now  for  the 
first  time  we  noticed  a  savage  running  like  smoke  across 
the  arc  of  the  circle  the  chase  had  taken.  He  was 
stark  naked,  a  fine  figure,  and  carried  nothing  but  a 
bow  and  arrows.  How  he  could  run!  We  saw  him 
stop  and  discharge  arrows,  though  it  was  too  far  away 
to  see  them.  The  wildebeeste  hesitated,  and  we  saw  the 
little  black  speck  of  a  dog  leap  for  his  throat.  They 
both  went  down  in  a  heap ;  and  Cuninghame  and  I  stood 
up  and  cheered,  though  we  were  two  miles  away,  and 
could  see  nothing  without  the  glasses.  When  we  sat 
down  again  it  was  over.  The  dog  was  sitting  by  the 
carcase,  and  the  savage  was  headed  for  a  lone  bush  to 
get  materials  with  which  to  cover  his  prize  for  the 

*  The  chase  lasted  forty-two  minutes. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  235 

night.  When  the  meat  was  ''bushed"  he  and  the 
dog  started  soberly  for  home.  Now  that  was  real 
sport;  it  made  us  and  our  long-range  rifles  look  pretty 
cheap;  and  my  only  regret  was  that  I  could  not  get 
acquainted  with  that  bully  pup! 

Fine  Arizona-like  light  over  the  plains  at  sunset. 
Cuninghame  and  I  solemnly  drank  the  JMemsahib's 
health  in  weak  toddy;  for  to-day  is  an  especial  anni- 
versary. 

Four  and  a  half  hours;  lof  miles;  morning,  69;  noon, 
91;  night,  77;  elevation,  4,200. 

September  30. — Last  night  M'ganga,  who  under- 
stands their  language,  overheard  one  of  the  shenzis  say 
to  the  rest: 

"We  are  now  near  home,  and  we  have  had  plenty  of 
meat  and  very  little  work.  Let  us  run  away,  and  let 
our  wages  go." 

Had  up  the  lot,  lectured  them,  and  gave  the  ring- 
leader ten  lashes,  which  settled  it.  They  were  very 
awestricken  over  our  apparently  magical  knowledge 
of  their  plans. 

Marched  high  along  the  slope  of  a  mountain,  all 
rocky  outcrops,  boulders,  huge  cubes,  obelisks,  all 
sorts  of  strange  and  fanciful  shapes.  Across  the 
valley,  which  lay  dim  and  blue  below,  were  rows  of 
separate  peaks,  each  a  perfect  cone,  spaced  like  huge 
shark's  teeth;  and  milky,  indeterminate  distances. 

We  passed  three  villages  perched  among  the  rocks, 


236  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

each  with  its  waterhole  below,  from  which  Hnes  of 
girls,  stark  naked,  were  carrying  water  in  gourds  of  all 
sizes.*  About  ten  o  'clock  we  deserted  the  slope  of  the 
mountain  and  struck  down  and  across  a  bushy  flat 
toward  distant  blue  mountains  in  the  west.  At 
twelve,  as  we  still  had  encountered  nothing  but  bush, 
we  set  down  the  safari  and  scattered  to  find  water. 
Nothing  can  describe  the  intense  heat  of  noon  in  this 
country.  Beats  anything  in  British  East  Africa.  Sun 
is  very  powerful,  and  the  earth  radiates  like  a  grate. 
Thermometers  do  not  begin  to  indicate  it.  After  an 
hour 's  search  found  a  pool  of  mud  flavoured  with  dung 
(to  which  we  are  quite  accustomed) .  Also  saw  ten  roan. 
About  four  o  'clock  I  started  for  the  necessary  meat, 
though  it  was  still  hot  enough  to  cook  eggs.  Found  a 
perfectly  open  plain  where  were  hundreds  of  topi  and  a 
few  Tommy,  but  nothing  else.  Amused  myself  (al- 
though the  beasts  were  fairly  approachable)  by  long- 
range  shooting  at  single  beasts.  First  miss  then  hit  at 
320  yards,  then  two  raking  hits  at  closer  range  ac- 
counted for  the  first.  The  second  took  two  at  330, 
Then  I  saw  a  Tommy  that  looked  good  and  killed  it  at 
211.  Proved  to  be  what  is  probably  the  record  for 
East  Africa,  sixteen  and  five  eighth  inches.  A  thirteen- 
inch  horn  is  good  for  British  East  Africa,  and  world's 
record  is  somewhere  about  seventeen  inches. 


*  Why  these  people  do  not  build  somewhere  near  the  water,  1  do  not  know. 
They  almost  never  do.     Perhaps  they  Hke  to  keep  their  women  busy. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  237 

A  beautiful  lightning  display  in  the  evening.  Cun- 
inghame  better,  but  pretty  tired. 

Safari,  six  hours  twenty  minutes;  14 J  miles;  hunted  8 
miles;  morning,  63;  noon,  97;  night,  78. 

October  i. — Set  the  safari  on  a  line  toward  a  water- 
hole  known  to  some  of  our  shenzis,  and  started  off  on  a 
slight  detour  to  see  if  we  could  not  get  a  wildebeeste 
head.  Last  chance,  as  the  country  now  merges  into 
the  thickly  settled  regions  near  the  lake.  Saw  just  one, 
but  him  I  got  after  a  long  and  careful  stalk,  at  361 
yards.  Shortly  after  killed  a  Tommy,  but  could  not 
find  him  in  the  long  grass. 

We  now  pass  into  the  country  of  the  Wiregi,  leaving 
the  Ungruimi.  Journeyed  across  a  plain  grown  with 
scrub.  To  our  left  volcanic  hills  of  red,  to  our  right 
the  bright  green  wide  expanse  of  a  papyrus  swamp 
called  the  Masirori.  We  headed  toward  a  bold  rocky 
peak  lying  alone.  After  three  hours  overtook  the 
safari  resting  by  the  waterhole.  Two  savages  had 
chased  an  impalla  into  the  deep  mud,  and  there  killed 
it  and  were  now  triumphantly  cutting  it  up.  Saw  a  lot 
of  game  near  here,  including  a  number  of  sing-sing. 

The  rocky  peak  proved  very  interesting  in  the  queer 
forms  and  immense  size  of  its  boulders  and  spires,  in 
the  queer  trees,  bushes,  and  cacti  that  sprang  from 
every  crevice,  and  from  the  fact  that  hmidreds  of  huts 
were  built  high  up  in  the  strangest  cracks  and  crannies. 
Often  quite  extensive  stone  terraces  had  been  con- 


238  THE     REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

structed  to  hold  the  buildings.  Water  was  a  mile  and 
a  half  distant,  and  must  all  be  brought  in  gourds.  The 
granaries  were  perched  rakishly  atop  boulders,  and 
goats  skipped  about.  People  climbed  atop  big  round 
rocks  and  stood,  upright  and  picturesque,  to  see  us  pass. 
We  rounded  the  corner  and  came  to  the  headquarters 
of  a  very  wealthy  and  powerful  sultan  named  Walioba. 
As  usual  with  these  African  kings,  he  did  not  live  with 
any  great  number  of  his  people,  but  occupied  a  settle- 
ment apart,  together  with  forty  or  fifty  of  his  courtiers, 
soldiers,  and  their  families.  A  very  large  square  house 
was  building,  behind  a  strong  stockade.  We  marched 
straight  by  to  the  guest  houses.  These  were  nine  in 
number,  eight  of  the  ordinary  size,  and  one  fully  twenty- 
five  feet  in  diameter — the  biggest  circular  house  we 
have  seen.  Its  walls  were  plastered  to  a  height  of 
three  feet  from  the  ground,  and  the  space  left  open 
under  the  eaves  for  a  view  out  and  for  breeze.  A  flag- 
pole with  cords  stood  before  this.  Inside  were  two 
benches  made  of  sawn  planks.  They  were  very  crude 
planks,  but  they  were  sawn,  and  that  was  a  curiosity  in 
savage  Africa.  Not  only  was  the  inside  swept  and 
clean,  but  aU  the  grounds  were  likewise  swept  and  piles 
of  firewood  stacked. 

Immediately  we  arrived,  strings  of  women  came, bear- 
ing each  a  great  calabash  of  water  which  she  emptied 
into  a  jar  outside  each  hut^  and  then  went  away  (ij 
miles!)  for  more.     The  elders,  very  grave  and  ornate 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  239 

savages,  then  waited  on  us  to  inquire  what  else  we 
would  want  and  to  tell  us  that  Walioba  had  "gone 
away  to  drink  beer,"  but  had  been  sent  for.  These 
men  were  very  intelligent  looking,  were  dressed  in 
khaki  with  silver  buttons,  and  wore  new  military  caps ! 
All  the  rest  of  the  population  are  the  usual  naked 
savages.  We  mentioned  our  needs  as  milk,  eggs,  potio, 
and  repose.  Very  hot  and  oppressive  day,  and  we  felt 
done. 

About  three  o  'clock  I  strolled  over  to  take  a  look  at 
the  royal  palace,  and  on  my  way  back  saw  a  white-clad 
figure  enter  camp  on  a  mule  Now  mules  in  this 
country  are  worth  almost  anything,  so  I  hurried  for- 
ward, but  by  the  time  I  got  there  Walioba  had  dis- 
mounted and  entered  our  house.  The  mule  was  a  very 
good  one,  and  carried  a  Mexican  saddle  and  Navajo 
blanket!  Think  of  that,  a  blanket  made  by  savages  in 
the  Southwest  United  States  used  by  a  savage  king 
fairly  in  the  interior  of  equatorial  Africa.* 

Walioba  proved  to  be  a  square,  powerfully  built  man, 
of  thirty-five  or  so,  with  a  keen  but  typically  negro 
face.  He  wore  on  his  head  a  clean  navy  blue  yacht 
cap  with  carriage-cloth  visor.  His  clothes  were  white, 
clean,  and  in  good  order,  consisting  of  a  riding  coat  and 
breeches,  leather  leggings,  and  good  boots.  In  fact,  he 
was  well  turned  out.     He  proved  most  friendly.     Gave 


*  We  could  not  trace  this  outfit;  but  gathered  vaguely  that  it  must  have 
come  from  some  American  missionary  the  other  side  of  the  lake. 


240  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

us  men's  food  gratis,  milk,  eggs,  etc.  Before  we  had 
finished  we  had  sold  him  our  remaining  four  donkeys 
at  80  rupees  each — when  they  should  arrive.  He 
also  made  tentative  bargains  with  Cuninghame  for  a 
tent  at  350  rupees,  and  a  mule  at  450,  both  to  be  sent 
from  Nairobi.  So  he  is  indeed  a  wealthy  chief.  Added 
a  load  of  peanuts  to  his  presents,  and  offered  us  guides 
for  to-morrow.  We  gave  him  a  Marble  folding  knife 
as  a  starter.  His  real  present,  as  is  the  custom,  does 
not  come  until  we  leave  for  good.  Bargained  for  ten 
loads  of  potio,  which  he  promised  to  collect  and  dehver. 
At  supper  time  he  returned  in  a  bright-bordered  piece 
of  linen,  and  a  dress  waistcoat,  stockings,  and  pipe- 
clayed white  shoes,  but  no  trousers !  He  was  much  in- 
terested in  Baxter's  alarm  watch.  A  most  intelligent 
man  who  seems  quick  at  the  uptake  and  keen  at  catch- 
ing a  complicated  shauri. 

Rained.  Mosquitoes  extraordinarily  bad.  At  dark 
they  appeared  in  literal  swarms,  so  that  we  were 
driven  to  our  mosquito  canopies  and  the  men  to  suffo- 
cating smudges.  Many  of  our  people  are  down  with 
fever,  and  we  have  a  large  clinic  every  night. 

Four  hours;  11  miles;  we  went  six  and  a  half  hours; 
14J  miles;  morning,  67;  noon,  91;  night,  73. 


CHAPTER    XX 

October  2. — Expected  the  usual  long  wait  for  the 
guides,  but  to  our  vast  astonishment  they  were  on 
hand  before  dawn,  squatted  at  little  fires  and  ready  for 
action.  Walioba  is  keen  business.  Sent  back  twenty 
men  to  bring  on  Dolo,  donkeys,  and  loads  from  Mis- 
sambi's.  One  shenzi  porter  deserted  in  the  night. 
Walioba  supplied  us  one  of  his  personal  entourage, 
who  took  the  deserter's  load  as  far  as  the  next  village, 
where  we  hired  another  at  two  cents  per  diem. 

Marched  seven  hours  through  a  broken  country  with 

many  rocky  outcrops  and  peaks.     Passed  cotton  fields 

white  with  cotton  and  yellow  and  pink  with  blossom. 

Over  across   the   valley  we   heard   a   distant  native 

safari  passing  to  the  music  of  a  flute.     It  was  very 

mellow  and  pleasing.     Stopped  at  a  native  smithy. 

The  blacksmith  was  ver>'  hirsute  on  arms  and  body, 

most  unusual.     The  bellows  were  two  goatskins  joined 

at  the  necks  and  pressed  alternately  to  give  a  steady 

stream.     He  had  pincers  and  a  small  hammer,  and  for 

anvils  he  used  hard  rocks  of  different  sizes.     At  the 

time  he  was  making  a  hoe,  and  fashioned  the  hot  iron 

very  skilfully.     All  the  villages  are  built  right  among 

the  rocks,  the  houses  perched  in  the  oddest  places,  with 

241 


242  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

goats  and  small  boys  to  fill  in,  although  there  is  plenty 
of  open  country  all  about,  and  water  is  always  distant. 

Our  guides  knew  no  Swahili,  so  we  followed  them 
blindly.  They  took  us  by  all  sorts  of  winding  and 
devious  paths,  native  fashion,  and  finally  set  us  down, 
about  noon,  among  some  superheated  rocks.  After  an 
interval  a  girl  appeared  with  a  calabash  of  water  and 
about  a  bushel  of  peanuts,  on  both  of  which  our  men 
fell  eagerly.  She  motioned  us  to  follow,  and  went  on, 
her  wire  "neck  ruff"  bobbing  at  every  step.*  Our 
boys  shouted  loudly  with  delight  over  having  a  "M- 
angozi  monumuki/'  a  "lady  guide."  We  followed  her 
for  an  hour  through  some  very  hot  places,  down  and 
out  of  canons  and  ravines  in  the  skirts  of  the  hills. 
Then  she  stopped  us  in  a  nice  little  rock  furnace  and 
disappeared. 

We  waited.  To  us  came  a  finely  built,  bright-looking, 
middle-aged  man,  with  a  deep  bass  voice,  who  spoke 
Swahili.  He  informed  us  that  he  was  a  widower,  lived 
alone  with  his  four  children,  and  knew  where  there 
were  buffalo. 

Did  he  know  where  there  was  water  and  shade  for 
camp? 

Led  us  a  mile  into  the  bottom  of  a  caiion  and  we 
settled  gratefully  into  a  good  old-fashioned  high  forest, 
with  looping  vines  as  big  as  a  man's  leg,  and  thick 


*  These  curious  wire  affairs  are  coiled  like  the  mainspring  of  a  watch  and 
stand  out  eight  to  twelve  inches. 


THESE  OUTCROPS  ARE  TVl'I'  ..1       '1     JUL   LULMRV   NLAR  \IlTOKIA 
NYANZA 


THE    WIREGI    GUIDE    FOR    BUFFALO 
SEE  PAGE   242 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  243 

shade.  The  water  was  milk-white  with  mud.  The 
tea,  coffee,  soup,  etc.,  all  looked  alike,  but  it  was  cool 
and  did  not  taste  of  cowdung,  which  was  a  happy 
surprise.  The  "lady  guide"  disappeared  before  we 
had  a  chance  to  reward  her;  but  next  day  an  individual 
announcing  himself  her  husband  put  in  a  modest  claim. 

I  forgot  to  say  that  three  hours'  back,  from  a  height, 
I  got  my  first  view  of  Victoria  Nyanza — a  deep  blue 
distant  and  narrow  bay,  with  islands,  bold  headlands, 
and  a  sea  beyond. 

Seven  hours;  14!  miles;  morning,  70;  noon,  89;  night, 
78;  elevation,  4,200. 

October  3. — The  savage  was  on  hand  before  day- 
light to  take  us  to  the  buffalo.  He  had  a  strong  and 
well-made  bow  and  arrows,  and  nothing  else.  Very 
keen,  hard-working,  good  old  boy,  and  we  were  strong 
for  him.  He  had  buffalo  there  all  right,  but  living  as 
they  did  in  the  midst  of  savages  they  were  strictly 
nocturnal  and  retired  to  the  thickets  before  daylight. 
Then  in  the  thickets  they  would  not  stand  and  investi- 
gate their  disturbers  as  do  ordinary  buffs — they  know 
already  by  experience  just  what  it  is  and  have  no 
further  curiosity — but  get  out  at  once  on  the  slightest 
disturbance.  It  was  totally  impossible  to  stalk  them, 
of  course.  The  savage  placed  us  at  points  of  vantage 
and  tried  driving  them  past  us.  Twice  he  succeeded, 
but  the  thickets  were  so  dense  that  aU  we  were  treated 
to  were  a  few  thrills  as  the  beasts  smashed  and  crashed 


244  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

within  twenty  yards  or  so  of  us.  At  noon  we  gave  it 
up,  agreeing  that  it  was  interesting;  but,  barring  mi- 
raculous luck,  likely  to  prove  unproductive  for  months. 
But  the  old  man  had  worked  so  hard,  was  so  keen,  and 
really  knew  his  job  so  well,  that  we  gave  him  three 
rupees  and  a  knife.  Beside,  he  was  rather  a  pathetic 
figure  at  the  head  of  his  two  little  girls  and  two  little 
boys  trudging  down  after  water,  and  no  bibi"^  at  all.  A 
load  of  peanuts — sixty  pounds — came  in,  for  which  we 
paid  cash  3I  cents.     Three  more  men  down  with  fever. 

Morning,  68;  noon,  88;  night,  74. 

October  4. — Many  forest  hyraxes  calling  all  night, 
and  the  most  shrill  and  pleasing  chorus  of  insects.  We 
returned  to  Walioba's  by  a  route  of  our  own,  and  saved 
two  and  a  half  hours '  march,  which  indicates  well  the 
usual  roundabout  paths  of  the  natives. 

Contrary  to  usual  belief,  most  natives  are  very  poor 
hands  at  finding  their  way  through  unknown  country. 
All  subsequent  travel  follows  the  first  man's  route. 
Nothing  is  more  aggravating  than  to  follow  the  windings 
and  twistings  of  a  native  guide.  The  shortcuts  are  ob- 
vious and  apparently  easy;  yet  it  never  occurs  to  any 
one  of  them  to  try  a  better  route.  Nor  does  it  bring 
aught  but  confusion  to  suggest  such  a  thing.  If  you 
have  a  native  guide  you  must  possess  your  soul  in 
patience  and  be  content.  On  the  return  journey,  know- 
ing the  lay  of  the  country,  you  can  save  your  time  and 

*  Woman. 


f 

sdWHHH 

■S2W^;2^k^i^V 

^pi 

^ 

flftf^S^^^^^^^^K 

H 

■t 

-^^plJ^^H 

n 

^^^^Kfl^ 

1 

IUf.>>aH 

1 

-^ 

walioba's  "palace' 


•^..-      ••    s-^      .  V.  r?(u 


WALIOUA—      PERE 


AX    EXAMPLE    OF   EAR   STRETCHERS   AND   A    GOOD   ADVERTISEMENT   FOR 
THE    KODAK    COMPANY 


WIREGI   PORTERS   FURNISHED   BY   WALIOBA.      THE   HEAD  PADS   ARE   VERY 
CLEVERLY   TWISTED   OF   GRASS 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  245 

distance.  Nor  is  the  average  native  worth  anything  in 
finding  his  way  after  dark.  But,  to  give  him  his  due, 
he  can  often  get  back  to  camp  when  the  white  man 
has  become  hopelessly  confused  in  the  chase  of  some 
animal. 

Struck  a  stray  topi  on  the  way  in,  and  downed  it  at 
about  200. 

The  cotton  fields  are  full  of  pickers.  I  never  cease 
marvelling  at  the  way  the  women  can  stand  for  long 
periods,  bent  at  exact  right  angles  at  the  hips,  prepar- 
ing some  work  near  the  ground.  Their  backs  are  per- 
fectly rigid  and  straight;  as  are  their  knees;  but  they 
never  seem  to  tire. 

Found  Walioba  in  savage  dress,  and  took  a  picture  of 
him.  He  was  most  reluctant,  and  only  consented 
when  I  promised  to  take  him  maredadi*  later.  In  the 
course  of  the  afternoon  Walioba  pere,  the  ex-sultan, 
called.  He  was  a  fine  old  boy,  of  the  old  African  school, 
fat,  with  a  deep,  hearty  voice,  and  a  truly  regal  car- 
riage. No  modem  clothes  for  him,  but  he  looked  and 
acted  every  inch  a  king.  He  called  Cuninghame 
"Papa"  in  the  friendly  manner  of  equal  to  equal.  All 
he  needed  was  a  leopard  skin  to  sit  on  and  a  howling 
dance  before  him  to  realize  the  ideal  African  king. 

Mosquitoes  very  bad  after  dark. 

Morning,  62;  noon,  89;  night,  75. 

*  Dressed  up. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

October  5. — Went  out  for  a  last  hunt  in  German 
East  Africa,  as  to-morrow  we  shall  start  on  a  direct 
march  for  the  lake.  It  is  African  etiquette  to  shoot 
meat  for  your  hosts  also,  so  we  were  followed  by  quite 
a  retinue,  viz.:  ten  porters  for  our  two  beasts,  and 
fifteen  savages  for  that  to  be  given  to  Walioba  I  and  11. 
When  we  reached  the  game  cover,  an  hour  distant,  we 
squatted  all  but  three  (to  act  as  messengers)  and  went 
on  less  encumbered. 

Game  was  plenty,  but  wild,  which  made  it  more  in- 
teresting. By  noon  I  had  killed  a  sing-sing  at  292  yards; 
a  topi  at  no;  and  a  zebra  at  281,  and  another  with 
two  shots,  first  about  275,  second  at  180.  This  finished 
the  job,  and  also  the  shooting  for  this  part  of  the  trip. 
The  statistics  are  as  follows:  Animals  shot  at  176; 
animals  killed  152.  To  do  this  required  303  cartridges 
with  which  241  hits  were  made. 

Very  muggy  sticky  weather.  Saw  a  cliff  village  be- 
low a  small  precipice.  On  the  top  of  the  precipice  sat 
a  baboon  calmly  contemplating  the  children  below  him; 
they  in  turn  were  perched  on  lower  cliffs  looking  down 
on  us. 

Men  and  donkeys  came  in  from  Missambi  's  at  i  :30. 

246 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  247 

All  afternoon  getting  ready  to  move.  Walioba  in  good 
old  African  fashion  has  changed  his  mind  about  buy- 
ing donkeys,  so  we  have  them  still  to  sell.  He  has 
ready  for  us  as  porters  eight  of  his  Wiregi,  fine,  tall, 
muscular  men,  as  all  these  people  are.  He  has  also 
been  prompt  in  bringing  milk,  water,  firewood,  eggs, 
three  sacks  m'wembe,  two  loads  of  peanuts,  guides,  etc. 
Therefore  we  gave  him  an  alarm  clock,  a  pair  of  socks, 
some  empty  chop  boxes  with  locks,  and  five  rupees. 
The  alarm  clock  in  especial  he  is  most  tickled  with, 
and  makes  it  perform  for  any  and  all  comers. 

Heavy  rain.  A  leopard  leaped  the  defences  of  the 
"palace"  and  stole  a  sheep  in  the  evening.  Every- 
body out  with  fire,  spears,  and  much  noise,  but  the 
leopard  got  away  with  it. 

Our  Ungruimis  made  much  manena  wanting  to  re- 
turn from  here.  After  a  long  shaiiri  we  found  that 
they  feared  being  pressed  into  service  by  the  Germans 
at  Musoma,  should  they  show  their  faces  there.  We 
solved  the  problem  by  counting  out  their  wages  and 
wrapping  up  each  individual's  in  a  piece  of  Mericani. 
These  we  promised  they  should  have  the  instant  they 
had  laid  down  their  loads  at  Musoma;  so  they  could,  if 
they  so  desired,  seize  their  money  and  depart  instanter. 
With  this  they  were  satisfied. 

Did  13J  miles;  morning,  70  degrees;  noon,  90;  night, 
70.     Dropped  18  degrees  in  ten  minutes  when  it  rained. 

October  6. — Off  for  the  lake  with  the  biggest  safari 


248  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

yet,  viz. :  our  forty  men  and  four  donkeys  and  twenty- 
one  savages.  Many  of  our  men  are  sick,  however,  and 
all  have  light  loads. 

Struck  the  native  track  in  two  hours  and  paddled 
down  it  at  a  good  speed.  This  country  is  all  of  granite 
with  wide  valleys  of  granitic  soil,  bold  mountains  made 
of  masses  of  huge  boulders,  smaller  rocky  kopjes,  and 
curious  single  spires  and  needles  fifty  to  a  hundred  feet 
high  sticking  up  all  by  themselves.  The  growth  is  of 
thin  thorn  and  many  openings — no  forests  such  as  I 
had  imagined  next  the  lake.  Villages  ever^-where  up 
in  the  rocks,  and  the  soil  of  the  valleys  cultivated  in  the 
usual  native  fashion — with  a  sharp  stick.  No  game, 
but  many  game  birds,  such  as  guinea  fowl,  bustards, 
etc.     Water  scarce  and  not  very  good. 

We  stopped,  at  three  hours,  at  a  waterhole  for  rest. 
Some  girls  came  for  water.  Their  garments  are  of  a  new 
type,  consisting  merely  of  a  number  of  brass  wire  rings 
encircling  the  hips  loosely.  Much  traffic  on  the  road, 
men  carrying  reeds  from  the  lake,  natives  on  all  sorts  of 
business.  These  are  the  true  lake  people,  tall,  exceed- 
ingly well  built,  and  as  black  as  black.  Camped  at 
five  hours  ten  minutes,  13!  miles,  by  the  roadside. 
Water  green  and  bad.  Sent  men  with  pails  and  bags 
over  the  hills  to  Mara  Bay  to  bring  us  back  the  bare 
necessity.  No  washing  to-day !  Temperature  low,  sky 
overcast,  but  very  steamy  and  muggy,  morning,  70; 
noon,  80;  night  (?) ;  elevation,  3,400. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  249 

October  7. — An  overcast  and  sticky  day  to  start  with, 
clearing  later.  Off  at  5 135  along  the  edge  of  Mara  Bay, 
with  hills  to  the  left  and  high  green  papyrus  cutting 
our  view  to  the  right.  Hundreds  of  dragonflies  about, 
with  transparent  wings  across  the  ends  of  which  were 
broad  black  bands,  so  that  as  they  hovered  they  gave 
the  impression  of  unsupported  bodies  accompanied  on 
either  side  by  satelhtes.  The  native  huts  were  here 
built  next  the  papyrus — where  the  mosquitoes  must 
have  been  very  thick.  They  had  herds  of  humped 
cattle  among  which  fluttered  and  perched  numbers  of 
white  egrets — a  pretty  sight.  Stone  spires  in  monolith 
and  square  rocks  like  forts  cropped  up  here  and  there, 
isolated,  from  an  otherwise  alluvial  soil.  The  path 
was  broad  and  well  beaten;  and  indeed  we  met  much 
traffic — natives  going  to  market  carrying  loads  of  sugar- 
cane or  m'wembe;  coming  from  market  with  coils  of  brass 
wire,  little  packets  of  sugar  or  salt,  strings  of  beads, 
cotton  cloth  or  beautiful  new  red  blankets;  carrying 
huge  bundles  of  papyrus  stalks  to  use  as  building 
materials,  or  just  moving  about  to  see  what  they  could 
see.  They  are  a  very  black  people,  these  lake  dwell- 
ers, but  beautifully  muscled  and  most  symmetrically 
shaped. 

Soon  we  began  to  catch  glimpses  of  a  bold  and 
broken  coastline  with  promontories  and  islands,  and  in 
two  hours  passed  by  the  old  government  post  at  Ita- 
banga,  now  abandoned.     There  still  remains  a  sub- 


250  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

stantial  two-story  whitewashed  stone  house,  the  wreck 
of  orchards,  and  sisal  fields.  The  town  itself,  of  many 
huts,  is  still  a  very  busy  place,  for  here  land  the  dhows 
and  hence  set  forth  the  trading  caravans  for  the  Ikoma 
and  Tabora  country,  below  where  we  had  been  exploring. 
Here  Cuninghame  dropped  back  to  try  to  sell  the  four 
last  donkeys.  We  hated  to  part  with  them,  for  of  the 
sixty-one  animals  with  which  we  left  Vanderweyer's 
these  four  were  the  sole  survivors.  However,  we  could 
not  take  them  with  us.    Got  240  rupees  for  the  lot. 

Here  for  the  first  time  I  saw  houses  made  of  adobe 
bricks  almost  exactly  like  the  old  California  article. 

Arrived  at  the  new  post  of  Musoma  about  two  hours 
later.  It  is  situated  on  a  long  very  narrow  neck  of  land 
that  reaches  straight  out  pretty  close  to  the  mouth 
of  Mara  Bay.  This  land  is  very  low  except  that 
at  the  inner  end  two  kopjes  and  at  the  extreme  tip  a 
rocky  knob  mark  the  terminations.  It  is  absolutely  bare 
of  trees  or  shade;  we  camped  on  coarse  quartz  sand  and 
scanty  grass.  The  "works  "  at  present  consist  of  a  small 
stucco  house  and  a  customs  shed  near  the  end,  and  a 
wharf  about  fifty  feet  long  made  of  loose  stones  dumped 
down.  A  government  house  and  two  forts  (!)  are  in 
contemplation.  A  great  many  very  neat  huts  made  of 
the  clean-looking  papyrus  stems,  and  a  double  row  of 
Indian  shops,  represent  the  town.  In  charge  is  a  Ger- 
man non-commissioned  officer,  styled  by  all  (including 
himself)  "Bwana  Askari,"  and  a  German  architect. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  251 

Several  hundred  savages  are  labouring  at  the  public 
works,  some  free,  and  a  great  many  strung  together  by 
chains  passing  from  one  iron  collar  to  another.  I  am 
bound  to  say  the  chain  gang  seemed  quite  cheerful. 
Everything  was  being  done  by  hand,  and  with  incred- 
ible labour.  Long  files  of  men  departed  for  the  distant 
rock  lull  and  reappeared,  each  carrj^ing  on  his  head  a 
single  stone.  This  he  dropped  to  its  place,  and  re- 
turned for  another.  Other  files  of  men  carried  each  a 
little  basket  of  earth  or  sand.  Planks  were  being  sawn 
from  the  sohd  log  by  hand,  one  man  atop,  one  below, 
dragging  a  rusty  and  dull  old  saw  back  and  forth.  Four 
men  held  a  pile  upright,  two  more  supported  a  short 
ladder  against  it :  a  seventh,  perched  precariously  on  the 
ladder,  beat  the  end  of  the  huge  pile  with  an  ordinary 
sledge  hammer.  It  looked  to  be  impossible  that  this 
should  bring  results— nor  did  it  seem  to  as  long  as  I 
watched — but  it  must  work,  for  I  saw  the  pile  in  place 
two  days  later!  Four  men  were  required  to  drag  one 
stone  a  mile.  They  laid  it  on  a  piece  of  wood,  and 
either  hauled  on  it  or  laboriously  rolled  it  back  on  its 
rude  carriage  when  it  fell  off. 

Our  first  job,  after  making  camp,  was  to  prospect  for 
a  dhow,*  in  which  to  sail  north  to  Shirati — the  land 
journey  was  impossible  on  accoimt  of  sleeping  sickness. 
There  were  none  in  port,  and  no  prospects  of  any  for 


*  These  craft  are  sailed  by  negroes,  but  owned  by  the  Indian  traders,  who 
ply  a  busy  trade  in  peanuts  and  rice  as  against  the  usual  trade  goods. 


252  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

eight  days.  We  were  rather  dismayed  at  that,  but 
there  seemed  no  alternative  but  to  wait,  for  all  the 
country  north  is  full  of  sleeping  sickness.  In  the  mean- 
time we  had  a  shauri  with  Bwana  Askari,  a  capable 
German  of  the  lower  class,  with  Kolb  and  Dill  whiskers. 
He  spoke  no  English  and  we  no  German,  so  all  our 
negotiations  went  on  in  Swahili. 

It  seems  that  the  askari  who  met  us  at  Natron  re- 
ported that  we  had  kiUed  a  giraffe,  and  as  that  is  il- 
legal in  Germany  without  a  "greater  license,"  we  were 
to  be  arrested.  The  giraffe  in  question  had  been 
killed  on  the  British  side,  and  the  askari  should  have 
known  that,  for  previous  to  meeting  him  we  had  done 
no  hunting  on  the  German  side.  We  explained  this, 
and  Bwana  Askari  agreed  that  the  nigger  had  been 
officious,  but  took  from  us  a  deposit  of  Rs  300.  We  get 
this  back  later  when  the  accusation  is  officially  quashed. 

Spent  part  of  the  afternoon  writing  to  the  Governor, 
the  Provincial  Commissioner,  and  the  Customs,  setting 
this  matter  right.  At  an  Indian  dukka  bought  a  tin  of 
jam,  a  bottle  of  lime  juice,  and  some  chocolate.  For 
some  time  we  have  had  only  oatmeal,  rice,  tea,  coffee, 
and  sugar,  and  this  purchase  was  intended  to  repre- 
sent luxury. 

A  torrential  downpour  lasting  an  hour  drove  us  in 
at  three  o'clock,  and  another  lasted  nearly  all  night. 
About  half  our  men  are  down  with  fever,  and  Cuning- 
hame  has  a  slight  attack. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  253 


The  view  up  the  bay  from  our  camp  is  wonderful, 
with  the  long  reach  of  the  bay,  and  the  different  layers 
of  hills  and  mountains  reaching  back  and  back  to  milk}^ 
distance. 

Four  hours;  lof  miles;  morning,  70;  noon,  86;  night, 
68. 

October  8. — A  day  of  uncertain  rushing  about  try- 
ing to  get  information  of  when  we  are  likely  to  get  away. 
A  very  small  dhow  blew  in  and  went  up  the  bay.  We 
sent  messengers  after  her  and  caught  her  when  she 
landed  at  Itabanga.  For  fifty  rupees  her  captain 
agreed  to  make  one  trip  to  Shirati,  but  could  not  make 
two.  As  the  dhow  looked  inadequate  for  all  our  lot  we 
made  the  men  fall  in  and  picked  out  those  who  were  to 
stay  until  we  could  send  for  them,  Hamisi,  failing  to 
show  up,  was  found  dead  drunk  on  tettibo*  Later  when 
asked  why  he  did  not  fall  in  with  the  rest,  he  repHed 
that  he  had  "sleeping  sickness,"  an  answer  that  saved 
him  kiboko.     Fined  him  one  half  month's  wages. 

About  three  in  the  afternoon  I  saw  the  black  smoke 
of  a  steamer  over  the  point,  drifting  down  the  wind. 
Joyfully  we  hastened  to  a  height — to  find  that  the 
"smoke"  was  a  swarm  of  midges,  a  phenomenon  for 
which  Victoria  Nyanza  is  famous.  There  must  have 
been  millions  of  them,  for  they  were  in  appearance  ex- 
actly like  the  voluminous  smoke  of  a  steamer  that  has 
just  been  fresh  stoked.     Once  in  the  air  they  cannot 

*  Native  beer. 


254  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

come  down  until  the  wind  dies,  so  their  fate  is  most 
uncertain. 

The  "town"  proved  not  uninteresting.  The  women 
of  the  government  askaris  parade  up  and  down,  Nandi 
mostly.  They  as  a  class  are  the  only  women  in  Africa 
who  do  not  work,  and  they  value  themselves  accord- 
ingly. Their  hair  is  done  elaborately,  their  ornaments 
are  many,  their  patterned  garment  clean  and  new;  but 
especially  are  they  interesting  for  their  airs  of  feminine 
coquetry.  A  very  great — and  very  ridiculous — sultan 
was  in  making  purchases.  In  his  native  wilds  he  was 
probably  a  fine-looking  man.  Now  he  wore  a  peaked 
helmet  much  too  big  for  him,  a  light  gray  army  over- 
coat that  was  the  last  word  in  misfits,  puttees  awkwardly 
wound,  and  huge  brogans.  An  actor  on  the  comic 
stage  would  be  considered  rather  to  have  overdone  it 
if  he  had  looked  so.  This  potentate  was  accompanied 
by  his  two  favourite  wives — in  native  undress — the 
bearer  of  the  royal  camp-chair,  and  a  few  miscel- 
laneous shenzis.  He  was  a  canny  old  soul  and  did  not 
intend  being  done,  for  he  went  carefully  into  every 
Indian  dukka  before  making  his  first  purchase. 

A  tremendous  rain  again  in  the  evening,  after  the 
cessation  of  which  we  heard  the  sultan  and  suite  re- 
turning home — very  drunk.  They  howled  and  screamed 
and  chattered  at  the  top  of  their  lungs;  and  nobody 
paid  the  slightest  attention  to  what  anybody  else  said. 

Morning,  65;  noon,  ^^',  night,  78. 


THE    FOUR   SURVIVORS    OF    THE    DONKEY   TRAIN.       OF   OUR   OWN 
VANDERWEYER'S,    59    animals    died    OF    TSETSE 


AT   MUSOMA — THE    ONLY    SAWMILL   IN   THE   COUNTRY 


THE  ENTRANCE  TO  MARA  BAY,  TAKEN  FROM  VICTORIA  NYANZA 


THE  DHOW  IN  WHICH  WE  SAILED  UP  VICTORIA  NYANZA 


LOADING  OUR  DHOW  AT  MUSOMA  FOR  THE  TRIP  UP  VICTORIA  NYANZA 


CHAPTER  XXII 

October  9. — Packed  up  and  sat  doum  to  wait  for  the 
dhow.  She  arrived  about  eight,  and  proved  to  be 
laden  deep  with  peanuts  and  miscellaneous  natives,  all 
of  which  had  to  be  unloaded  before  we  could  get  aboard. 
She  was  the  t>'pical  thing,  high  aft  and  low  forward, 
so  that  she  looked  constantly  on  the  point  of  making  a 
dive;  with  one  mast  amidships  and  one  huge  sail  on  a 
yard.  This  was  manipulated  and  swung  about  by  the 
most  fearful  and  complicated  system  of  native-made 
ropes  and  wooden  blocks.  The  crew  consisted  of  four 
ordinary  natives,  and  a  more  intelligent  black  citizen, 
who  held  the  tiller.  Fortunately  the  dhow  is  not  a 
skittish  creature  and  does  not  require  quick  handling. 
The  crew  put  in  its  time  sleeping  or  playing  with  a  tin- 
ful  of  beads.  When  the  skipper  gave  an  order  the 
proper  man  to  execute  it  had  to  be  searched  for  and 
waked  up.  Then  the  order  was  discussed  in  all  its  bear- 
ings. Luckily  a  dhow  cannot  be  upset  nor  wrecked 
unless  it  hits  a  rock,  and  then  it  has  to  be  a  very  big 
rock  and  the  dhow  going  fast. 

We  got  our  loads  aboard,  and  embarked  the  men  one 
by  one.  The  skipper  had  a  sort  of  plimsoll  mark  of  his 
own  on  which  to  keep  his  eye.     We  piled  men  on  top 

255 


256  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

of  each  other,  squeezed  them  hke  sardines,  at  last  got 
them  all  triumphantly  aboard!  We  were  much  re- 
lieved at  this — as  were  the  men — for  we  did  not  want 
to  leave  them.  There  was  no  more  room;  but  we  still 
floated.  Cuninghame  and  I  occupied  a  flat,  hard  little 
deck  right  in  the  stern  together  with  the  crew  and  a 
jumble  of  ropes. 

We  cast  off  from  the  pier  and  poled  ourselves  out 
until  we  floated  free.  Then,  and  not  until  then,  we 
raised  the  sail.  Reason  immediately  apparent.  The 
dhow  refused  positively  to  pay  off,  but  nosed  her  way 
back  into  the  wind  every  time  she  was  coaxed  out  of  it. 
Yells,  confusion,  excitement,  production  of  two  long 
poles  to  the  end  of  which  were  fastened  round  pieces  of 
wood — oars,  save  the  mark!  Thrice  we  vainly  teased 
our  way  free,  and  thrice  we  came  up  into  the  wind. 
Then  we  hung  on  a  hair  of  indecision,  hesitated,  paid 
off,  and  were  away  before  the  breeze.  Fortunately 
the  wind  held  fresh  and  fair  all  day.  If  it  had  not, 
heaven  alone  knows  where  we  should  have  arrived  or 
when. 

The  shores  of  Victoria  Nyanza  are  deeply  indented. 
In  fact,  the  coastline  is  practically  a  series  of  long 
peninsulas  and  deep  bays  between  them.  Groups  of 
islands  of  all  sizes  are  numerous.  Wherever  the  coast 
is  not  beaten  by  the  seas  it  is  fringed  with  a  band  of 
papyrus,  sometimes  thirty  feet  from  root  to  blossom. 
The  coast  proper  is  rather  barren  and  brown  looking, 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  257 

with  ranges  of  mountains,  and  the  constant  succession 
of  rocky  outcrops  through  which  we  had  been  march- 
ing. Nowhere  are  there  forests;  but  the  scenery  is 
most  beautiful  in  places.  The  water  is  a  deep  green. 
Crocodiles  and  hippos  are  common,  and  give  a  dis- 
tinct feeling  of  incongruity  to  the  open-sea  impression. 

Our  little  deck  grew  very  hot  at  noon,  but  the  breeze 
held;  and  by  4:30  we  picked  up  the  buildings  of  Shirati. 
Shortly  after  we  landed.  Nobody  ever  yet  "made  a 
landing"  in  a  dhow.  The  sail  is  dropped  while  yet 
some  distance  out,  and  then  the  unwieldy  affair  is  poked 
and  punched  in.  Generally  it  goes  to  leeward,  and 
they  have  to  drop  anchor  and  get  ropes  ashore  and 
otherwise  muddle  about.  By  the  time  we  were  landed 
and  had  our  loads  ashore  it  was  dark.  We  camped  in 
an  open  place,  and  plunged  into  our  mail,  which  had 
been  sent  dowTi  here  for  us.  Rained  in  the  evening. 
Lots  of  fever  cases,  among  which  was  poor  Cuning- 
hame  again. 

Morning,  70;  noon  (?);  night,  77. 

October  10. — Shirati  is  a  German  Government  post, 
situated  on  a  long  narrow  tongue  of  land  running  out 
into  the  lake.  This  peninsula  is  100  feet  high,  and  bare 
of  larger  vegetation.  The  Germans  have  planted  two 
avenues  of  trees,  but  they  have  not  done  well,  and 
have  generally  a  very  sickly  appearance.  Near  the 
water  is  a  stuccoed  and  whitewashed  customs  house 
with  two  smaller  houses  for  the  Goanese  officials  a 


258  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

short  distance  away.  The  way  then  rises  to  a  square 
stone  fort  of  some  size  near  which  stands  the  District 
Commissioner's  building,  long,  low,  and  white,  with 
surrounding  veranda.  The  other  side  the  fort  are  a 
dozen  Indian  dukkas  and,  in  an  open  space,  a  roofed 
shed  for  the  native  market.  The  second  avenue  of 
sickly  trees  runs  from  the  fort  down  the  length  of  the 
peninsula.  A  few  scattered  native  huts,  and  several 
more  compact  villages,  make  up  the  rest  of  Shirati.  A 
fresh  breeze  generally  sweeps  across  the  peninsula, 
which  keeps  it  reasonably  free  of  mosquitoes  and  fever. 
The  sleeping  sickness  is  bad  only  a  few  miles  away;  and 
Shirati  is  soon  to  be  abandoned. 

We  called  on  the  District  Commissioner  and  found 
him  a  very  pleasant,  short,  blond,  and  pink  little  man, 
who  spoke  a  little  English.  We  had  the  wearisome 
giraffe  shauri  to  go  over  again. 

Then  we  went  down  to  the  landing  and  tackled  the 
Customs.  That  took  the  rest  of  the  day,  for  never 
before  in  the  history  of  Shirati  had  sportsmen  gone  out 
from  there.  The  babu  had  no  precedents,  no  book,  no 
nothing  to  go  by;  and  such  a  situation  is  very  tough  on 
the  babu.  We  made  a  good  many  of  our  own  prece- 
dents on  the  spot,  and  got  off  fairly  well. 

Very  hot  and  sticky,  and  a  lot  more  of  our  men  came 
down  with  fever. 

There  is  a  species  of  eagle  very  numerous  here  and 
well  named  Vocifer.     He  is  the  joUiest  creature  im- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  259 

aginable,  for  he  is  continually  giving  vent  to  perfect 
screams  of  laughter  and  joy  so  Uke  the  wild  hilarity  of 
the  native  women  that  at  first  I  was  thus  deceived. 
And  when  one  sees  the  joke  they  all  see  the  joke  and 
join  in.  This  wild  joyous  cr>^  is  uttered  on  the  wing  or 
sitting.  When  the  Vocifer  happens  to  be  in  a  tree,  he 
throws  his  head  back  just  as  a  person  would  do  when 
laughing  heartily.  As  the  joke  gets  funnier  his  head 
gets  farther  back  until  it  fairly  lies  between  his  shoulders 
with  the  open  beak  pointing  straight  up. 

Morning,  71;  noon,  90;  night  (?). 

October  11. — Great  difficulty  to  get  firewood.  We 
buy  little  bunches  of  it  from  the  native  women.  Natu- 
rally there  are  no  more  evening  campfires.  In  the  early 
morning  and  late  evening  great  flocks  of  the  sacred 
ibis  pass  going  to  or  coming  from  their  feeding  grounds. 
We  spent  the  day  reading  up  in  the  Literary  Digest,  and 
in  writing  letters. 

Morning,  68;  noon,  96;  night,  75. 

October  12. — To-day  a  boat  was  expected — though  at 
what  hour  was  unknown.  At  seven  o  'clock  we  packed 
up,  as  per  instructions,  and  went  down  to  the  customs 
house.  There  we  sat  in  the  shade  until  4 130.  That  is 
usual  in  Africa.  A  native  in  a  dugout  canoe  fished  just 
off  the  edge  of  the  reeds  for  the  same  length  of  time,  and 
apparently  without  catching  anything;  so  we  had  no 
monopoly  on  the  stock  of  patience. 

At  4 130  the  steamer  came  in  and  anchored.     A  small 


26o  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

boat  brought  a  line  ashore,  and  by  means  of  that  a 
lighter  full  of  peanuts  was  hauled  out  by  hand.  We 
went  with  the  lighter.  The  Nyanza  is  a  small  steamer, 
living  quarters  and  engines  all  aft,  freight  decks  amid- 
ships, small  forecastle,  like  our  Great  Lakes  freighters 
on  a  smaller  scale.  She  is  shallow  and  draws  only 
about  six  feet.  Awful  little  cabin  with  saggy  and 
bumpy  bunks.  Live  on  the  bridge,  where  meals  are 
served.  At  about  sunset  we  had  completed  loading 
the  peanuts,  and  steamed  an  hour  or  so  to  Korangu, 
where  we  dropped  anchor  for  the  night.  There  is  no 
night  travel  on  Victoria  Nyanza.  Not  much  sleep. 
Too  many  natives  aboard,  too  bad  beds.  A  small 
group  of  some  of  the  lake  people  were  singing  very 
sweetly  in  harmony;  the  first  time  I  have  ever  heard 
Africans  do  anything  but  plain  unison.  A  gorgeous 
night,  with  the  reflection  of  the  land  in  moonlit  water. 

October  13. —  Korangu  is  surrounded,  or  rather 
backed,  by  high,  dry-looking  mountains,  like  those  of 
Spain  or  our  own  Southwest.  Visible  is  only  one  tin 
shed  and  a  small  house;  though  the  captain  told  us  a 
Seventh  Day  Adventist  mission  lay  over  the  hill !  We 
soon  steamed  away. 

A  remarkably  hot  day.  The  shores  here  are  of  bold 
high  mountains;  and  many  islands  made  for  us  a  sort  of 
inside  passage,  so  that  we  lost  the  effect  of  the  open  sea. 
At  one  point  we  worked  our  way  through  a  passage  in 
which  the  channel  was  only  200  feet  wide,  with  a  right- 


GOVERNMENT   POST    (GERMAN)    AT  SHIRATI.       THIS  POST  WAS  ON  THE  POINT  OF 
ABANDONMENT   BECAUSE   OF   SLEEPING   SICKNESS 


BOLOGNA    SAUSAGE       TRKK.       FROM    THE    WOOD    OF   THIS    TRKE    IS    BREWED 
THE   POISON   THE   NATIVES   USE   ON   THEIR   ARROWS 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  261 

angled  turn;  and  here,  owing  to  a  misplaced  buoy,  we 
nearly  hung  up.  This  passage  and  one  other  are  the 
only  entrances  to  the  Kavirondo  Gulf.  The  latter  is 
some  sixty  miles  long,  by  ten  or  fifteen  wide,  and  is 
practically  a  lake  by  itself.  The  mountains  on  both 
sides  are  very  lofty,  but  set  rather  back,  so  there  is  a 
littoral.  At  the  end  there  is  a  vast  stretch  of  flat 
country — a  continuation  of  the  old  lake  bed — but  at 
last  the  mountains  close  even  this  in. 

Our  intention  was  to  land  at  Kisumu*  and  to  look  for 
Uganda  cob  at  Kibigori,  a  place  about  twenty-five  miles 
inland  on  this  flat.  We  docked  at  Kisumu  about  sun- 
down, with  a  good  deal  of  flurry ;  and  I  easily  saw  why  the 
captains  of  these  lake  steamers  crack  up.  The  climate 
and  the  nervous  work  are  a  combination  to  knock  up 
anybody.  At  this  point  we  got  two  pieces  of  bad  news: 
The  first  was  that  Vandenveyer  's  donkeys  are  all  dead. 
The  other  hit  poor  Memba  Sasa.  He  got  word  that  his 
father  and  his  wife  were  both  dead  of  plague ;  and  that 
the  Masai  had  seized  the  opportunity  to  steal  sixty  of 
his  goats — a  very  severe  financial  loss  for  a  man  in  his 
position.  We  decided  to  send  him  up  by  train  to- 
morrow to  see  what  he  could  do.  I  am  extremely 
sorry,  for  I  am  fond  of  him.  Slept  (?)  on  board,  as  we 
had  nowhere  to  go  in  the  dark. 

October  14. — Sent  off  Memba  Sasa  by  early  train. 
He  wept  at  parting,  and  I  felt  like  doing  so.     I  shall 

*  Kisumu  is  the  lake  terminal  of  the  Uganda  Railroad. 


262  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

not  see  him  again.  Then  we  spent  some  three  hot 
hours  on  customs  and  on  shipping  out  trophies  and 
donkey  saddles  by  freight.  Also  in  getting  our  men  all 
inoculated  for  plague,  a  job  which  did  not  in  the  least 
please  them.  It  hurts  somewhat.  Cuninghame,  like 
an  old  fox,  headed  off  possible  complaints  by  announc- 
ing that  the  inoculation  was  a  sort  of  test;  that  those 
whom  it  made  ill  and  unable  to  work  would  be  thus 
proved  plague-infected  and  must  go  in  quarantine  for 
fifteen  days.  As  quarantine  scares  them  to  death  we 
had  no  complaints! 

Then  we  went  up  to  call  on  the  Provincial  Com- 
missioner, who  proved  to  be  the  brother  of  that  Home 
we  formerly  met  at  Meru.  This  is  a  very  tall  man,  so 
he  is  known  as  Long  Home,  and  the  other  as  Short 
Home.  He  was  extraordinarily  cordial,  and  sent  off  a 
wire  to  a  man  at  Muhoroni  asking  about  cob.  Also 
invited  us  to  lunch.  We  captured  our  men  and  made 
camp  in  an  open  space  under  a  "bologna  sausage  tree." 

Kisumu  must  be  described  in  three  parts:  (i)  At  the 
water 's  edge  are  many  huge  corrugated  iron  structures 
representing  goods  stores,  machine  shops,  customs,  and 
shipyards.  The  ships  are  sent  out  in  numbered  pieces, 
and  are  here  put  together  like  a  jigsaw  puzzle.  Then 
on  the  flat  a  little  removed  is  a  village  of  Indian  dukkas 
and  native  huts.  Then  up  on  a  low  volcanic  ridge  are 
the  houses  and  offices  of  the  Europeans.  These  are 
pretty   scattered,   have  gardens,  stone  walls,  shaded 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  263 

streets  or  roads,  and  are  generally  quite  attractive. 
The  view  out  over  the  Kavirondo  GuH  and  the 
mountains  and  valley  is  very  fine;  and  were  it  not  for 
the  climate  the  place  would  be  very  attractive. 

The  climate  is  bad,  however.  You  see  there  many  a 
big  husky  man;  but  his  eyes  are  restless,  his  manner 
nervous,  and  his  frequent  laugh  loud  and  forced  almost 
to  a  note  of  hysteria.  Plague  is  always  present  among 
the  swarming  natives;  meningitis  is  creeping  in;  and 
sleeping  sickness  is  so  near  that  it  is  a  dread  and  a  threat. 
Doctor  Moett,  the  medical  officer,  is  immensely  busy — 
and  immensely  pleased  and  interested.  He  set  a  dozen 
wire  traps,  caught  a  dozen  plague  rats,  and  left  the  lot 
by  his  laboratory  door,  pending  investigation.  When  he 
went  to  look  for  them  an  hour  or  so  later,  they  had  gone. 
Only  the  empty  traps!     Summoned  his  boys. 

"Oh,  yes,  we  know  where  the  rats  are;  we  ate  them; 
isn't  that  what  the  bwana  caught  them  for?" 

"And  they  were  plague  rats!"  concluded  the  doctor 
pathetically. 

Home's  house  is  in  the  middle  of  a  lovely  garden 
which  would  drive  a  garden  lover  crazy  with  its  tropi- 
cal stuff,  and  is  a  wide,  cool,  rambling  structure  with 
shady  verandas.  We  had  a  good  lunch,  and  Cuning- 
hame  and  I  were  so  pleased  that  after  Home  had  gone 
back  to  his  office  we  remained  loafing  in  his  easy  chairs. 
So  later  he  asked  us  to  dine,  an  invitation  we  accepted 
shamelessly. 


264  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Home  is  very  much  interested  in  opening  his  dis- 
trict by  means  of  good  roads  (in  the  native  sense).  He 
tried  in  vain  to  get  the  chiefs  interested;  and  finally  hit 
on  the  happy  idea  of  a  bicycle  for  each  chief  and  an 
askari  to  teach  him  to  ride.  Now  it  is  not  unusual  to 
see  a  naked  savage  hiking  along  in  the  depths  of  Africa 
on  a  glittering  wheel.  And  every  time  he  comes  a  crop- 
per he  gets  out  a  thousand  men  or  so  to  fix  the  road! 
There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  interest  for  some  time 
over  a  reported  new  animal  in  the  back  country.  There- 
fore a  certain  official  was  more  than  delighted  when  two 
of  his  askaris  came  in  to  report  that  they  had  been 
chased  by  and  had  shot  such  an  animal.  Being  an 
official  he  sent  forth  official  commands  that  any  dead 
animal  found  anywhere  near  that  place  belonged  to 
him;  and  he  sent  out  parties  in  all  directions  to  search. 
After  all  these  preparations  had  been  made  up  comes  a 
sad-eyed  Indian. 

''Please,  bwana,'^  says  he,  "I  want  50  rupees  be- 
cause your  askari  kiUs  my  donkey." 

As  illustrating  settler  methods  Home  told  us  of  the 
man  who  was  digging  a  well  and  ran  into  a  rock  twenty 
feet  down.  Drilled  it,  put  in  dynamite,  but  was  un- 
able to  touch  it  off  for  lack  of  enough  fuse.  The  usual 
asinine  bystander  had  a  bright  idea.  They  arranged 
the  detonators,  rolled  a  big  rock  to  the  edge  of  the  hole, 
stood  at  a  distance  and  thrust  it  in  with  a  pole.  The 
rock  failed  to  explode  the  detonators,  but  most  effect- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  265 

ually  blocked  the  well!  He  also  told  of  the  man  who 
put  a  rain  gauge  on  his  flat  roof.  After  the  first  rain 
he  sent  his  clerk  up  to  read  it.  The  clerk  reported 
thirty-one  inches.  Disbelief;  proof;  investigation!  It 
turned  out  that  an  askari  was  posted  on  the  roof  at 
night,  and  that  the  rain  gauge's  purpose  had  been  mis- 
taken by  that  askari. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

October  15. — After  a  long  wait  and  many  excur- 
sions of  inquiry  we  got  a  reply  to  our  telegram.  As 
cob  were  said  to  frequent  Kibigori  we  packed  up  and 
set  forth  at  10:5c.  The  march  struck  across  the  flat, 
and  was  exceedingly  hot.  No  particular  features  to 
record  except  that  the  numerous  groups  of  native 
huts  were  invariably  located  in  circles  of  large  shady 
trees,  the  result  of  the  growth  of  stakes  planted  as 
palisades.  The  surroundings  were  exactly  like  those 
of  the  San  Fernando  Valley,  so  that  the  California 
readers  need  no  further  description.  To  the  others 
I  can  only  say — mountains  on  three  sides,  sea  on 
the  other,  nearly  flat  valley  with  occasional  low  rolling 
ridges  in  the  middle.  Valley  sixty  miles  by  about 
twenty-five. 

At  the  end  of  three  hours  we  came  to  the  edge  of  a 
barranca  in  the  depths  of  which  flowed  a  swift  little 
stream.  A  fine,  upstanding  Kavirondo  damsel  stood 
knee-deep,  busily  engaged  in  washing  out  a  flat  basket- 
ful of  beans.  She  had  a  string  of  beads  about  her  neck, 
armlets,  a  leather  string  about  her  waist,  and  three 
mosquitoes.     However,  that  did  not  seem  to  bother 

her.     She  chatted  merrily  to  us,  told  us  there  was  no 

266 


c 


vO 


a   o 
o  "^ 

ft!     U 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  267 

more  water  for  sixteen  miles,  and  passed  up  gourdfuls 
for  our  men  to  drink. 

In  the  next  week  I  saw  many  of  these  Kavirondos, 
men,  women,  and  children.  A  majority  of  them  were 
stark  naked.  Those  that  were  partially  clothed  wore 
the  garments  as  ornaments  only.  Since  they  know 
no  harm  in  nakedness,  they  of  course  exhibit  not  the 
faintest  trace  of  embarrassment  or  self-consciousness; 
so  that  in  a  wonderfully  brief  space  of  time  one  comes  to 
accept  the  fact.  One  would  naturally  imagine  that  a 
totall}-  naked  people  would  be  far  down  in  the  human 
scale,  and  would  exhibit  the  lowest  t}^e  of  sa\'agery. 
This  is  not  the  case  Save  for  the  one  fact  of  naked- 
ness they  are  rather  above  the  average.  They  make 
ver>^  good  houses,  which  they  keep  clean  and  the  earth 
around  which  the}'  keep  swept.  Their  personal  habits 
are  cleanly.  They  raise  a  variety  of  crops,  which  they 
store  in  well-made  granaries.  In  natural  intelligence 
they  seem  to  be  above  the  average  in  the  way  of  being 
quick  to  catch  a  meaning,  take  a  joke,  etc.  Physically 
they  are  one  of  the  finest  races  in  East  and  Central  Africa, 
tall,  well  proportioned,  upright.  The  men  are  wonder- 
ful, with  big  frames,  developed  muscles,  yet  free  from 
clumsiness.  The  women,  too,  are  very  fine,  especially 
before  the  age  of  twenty-five  or  so;  after  which,  as 
always  in  the  low,  hot  countries,  the  breasts  are  apt  to 
fall.  Both  sexes  are  fond  of  shaving  their  heads  in 
queer  patterns,  which  seem  to  have  no  uniformit>'  and 


268  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

to  signify  nothing  except  the  taste  of  the  individual. 
All  other  hair  on  their  faces  and  bodies  is  most  care- 
fully removed.  Brass  wire  alone  seems  desired.  It  is 
worn  moderately,  only  small  collars,  armlets,  and  leg- 
lets.  The  unmarried  women  wear  nothing  at  all.  The 
married  women  tie  on  a  sort  of  tail  behind  made  ex- 
actly like  an  old-fashioned  bell-cord  tassel,  but  very 
much  larger.  They  occasionally  carry  also  a  small  white 
goatskin  burned  or  branded  in  stripes  like  a  zebra. 
This  probably  has  some  especial  significance,  for  when 
I  tried  to  buy  one  I  failed  at  any  price. 

"If  I  sell  this  I  will  die,"  they  told  me. 

They  are  a  friendly  people,  and  it  was  a  real  pleasure 
occasionally  to  squat  in  one  of  their  enclosed  villages 
and  jaw  with  them.  Everything  was  clean  and  swept, 
nobody  was  greased  and  daubed  (though  many  painted 
their  faces) ,  and  there  seemed  a  lot  of  spare  hilarious  good 
nature.  At  the  very  first  it  was  hard  not  to  be  a  little 
embarrassed  at  being  surrounded  by  so  many  full-grown 
ladies  without  a  stitch,  but  they  were  all  so  blissfully 
unconscious  of  anything  out  of  the  way  that  I  ended  by 
becoming  so  myself !  Those  who  know  these  people  well 
teU  me  that  they  are  the  most  chaste  of  all  the  tribes. 

Influenced  by  the  damsel's  information  about  water, 
we  camped  in  an  old  cornfield  at  the  edge  of  the  bar- 
ranca. There  was  no  shade  and  no  firewood;  but  we 
threw  our  blankets  over  the  tents,  and  cooked  with 
cornstalks. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  269 

Two  and  three  fourth  hours;  6  miles;  morning  (?); 
noon,  99;  night,  75.     Very  humid. 

October  16. — We  were  off  by  the  first  of  daylight  in 
order  to  avoid  some  of  the  heat.  Passed  many  villages. 
From  one  of  them  came  a  wailing  of  many  people  that 
rose  and  fell  in  the  wierdest  manner.  One  of  our  Kavi- 
rondo  porters  told  us  that  it  meant  somebody  had  just 
died.  Saw  a  great  many  bustards  and  the  beautiful 
golden-crested  Kavirondo  crane.  Would  very  much 
have  liked  one  of  the  latter,  but  did  not  dare  shoot.  The 
country  was  absolutely  flat;  villages  and  natives  were 
everywhere,  and  no  one  could  tell  where  a  bullet  would 
stop.  We  passed  many  people,  and  never  ceased  ad- 
miring their  splendid  physical  proportions.  One  group 
of  men  with  spears  were  all  over  six  feet  with  deep 
chests  and  the  developed  muscles  of  the  best  Greek 
sculpture. 

After  six  and  one  half  hours '  march  (fifteen  and  one 
half  miles)  we  reached  Kibigori;  and  very  glad  to  do  so, 
for  the  sun  is  here  very  strong.  We  walked  directly 
through  the  station  and  camped  under  a  solitary  tree 
on  a  height  above  the  river.  By  five  o'clock  we  had 
found  and  engaged  two  shenzis  who  claimed  to  know 
where  cob  are  to  be  found.  Rained  hard  late  in  the 
afternoon. 

Elevation,  3,960;  morning,  60;  noon,  96;  night,  74. 

October  17. — We  started  out  with  our  two  shenzis, 
but  before  we  had  gone  far  we  had  collected  a  dozen, 


270  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

all  anxious  for  meat.  Villages  everywhere,  and  the 
country  not  much  broken.  However,  after  tramping 
for  some  distance  through  thickly  populated  open  land- 
scape, we  came  to  a  narrow  strip  of  "wild"  country 
lying  in  the  triangle  where  two  streams  meet.  This 
was  a  very  small  bit  indeed,  and  was  composed  of 
alternate  small  thickets  and  rolling  high-grass  knolls, 
with  a  narrow  strip  of  forest  along  the  course  of  the 
river.  It  was  about  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  by  half  a 
mile  at  its  greatest  width.  Immediately  it  became 
evident  that  unless  the  cob  was  a  particularly  foolish 
beast  we  would  never  get  near  any  of  them  with  the 
procession  we  were  dragging  about.  Therefore  we 
squatted  the  lot  on  a  knoll  and  told  them  to  stay  put. 
A  hundred  yards  on  we  began  to  see  cob  in  the  very 
tall  grass.  They  were  about  the  size  and  colour  of  im- 
palla,  and  went  bounding  and  popping  about  in  elusive 
and  disconcerting  fashion.  We  sneaked  here  and  there 
catching  an  occasional  glimpse.  The  beasts  were  not 
very  wild,  but  it  was  almost  impossible  to  get  a  plain 
sight  of  them.  Finally  got  a  good  ofThand  chance  at 
a  reasonable  distance — and  missed!  No  excuse,  ex- 
cept that  owing  to  continued  heat  and  hard  work  I 
had  a  streak  of  bad  holding.  Immediately  set  out  in 
pursuit  and  fired  four  more  shots  without  result.  This 
was  very  sad. 

We  went  on,  crossing  the  stream  on  the  men's  backs, 
and  working  cautiously  down  through  another  strip  of 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY      271 

cover  along  the  side  of  the  river.  Saw  no  animals,  and 
only  a  few  old  tracks. 

The  Kavirondo  now  began  to  come  down  from  their 
\illages  into  the  swamps  and  thickets  to  cut  firewood 
and  thatch;  and  our  guides,  who  seemed  to  know  the 
game  thoroughly,  told  us  we  might  as  well  quit,  as  now 
the  cob  would  all  retire  into  the  densest  cover.  There- 
fore we  again  crossed  the  river  pickaback  and  started 
for  camp.  On  the  way  we  ran  smack  onto  a  fine 
buck  cob,  in  plain  sight,  broadside  on,  about  200 
yards  away.  It  was  a  good  fair  chance,  but  I  missed 
him,  and  also  two  other  take-a-chance  shots  at  long 
range  as  he  went.  Had  the  same  sort  of  nervous  jerks 
as  my  other  bad  streak.  Hard  luck  to  get  this  case  of 
"willies"  just  when  we  are  after  a  rarity.  Too  much 
work  and  sun.  Overcast,  with  heavy  showers  all  the 
afternoon.  The  weather  is  very  oppressive.  Rain  all 
night. 

Twelve  and  a  half  miles;  morning,  65;  noon,  94; 
night,  68. 

October  18. — Regretted  still  more  yesterday's  slump 
in  shooting  when  we  hunted  aU  morning  without  seeing 
a  hoof.  Covered  the  same  ground  as  yesterday,  and 
now  find  that  there  is  in  all  the  country  no  other  place 
for  cob!  I  think  we  have  taken  the  entire  cob  census 
— three  or  four  bucks  and  a  dozen  does. 

After  we  had  looked  the  field  all  over  thoroughly,  we 
made  some  visits  among  the  villages,  and  had  a  lot  of 


272  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

fun.  One  place  seemed  to  have  struck  an  umbrella 
craze.  Everybody,  who  was  anybody,  owned  one,  and 
it  was  certainly  very  funny  to  see  stark-naked  people 
under  opened  sunshades.  In  each  village  one  or  more 
talked  Swahili,  and  we  conversed  at  length.  Things 
were  always  swept  clean,  with  no  filth.  I  liked  the 
people.  One  very  polite  person  informed  me,  in  an- 
swer to  a  question: 

"I  have  two  children  alive,  and  one  that  has  just 
finished  dying."  This  was  a  literal  translation  of  what 
he  said. 

Rested  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  out  again  in  the 
same  country  in  the  afternoon.  Had  the  good  luck  to 
see  three  cob,  and  by  a  most  careful  (probably  needlessly 
careful)  stalk  got  in  range.  Hit  two  of  them  badly 
before  they  got  off;  and  I  got  one,  and  Cuninghame 
finished  the  other  in  the  high  grass.  Dozens  of  Kavi- 
rondo  came  running  from  everywhere  at  the  sound  of 
the  shots.  We  wanted  the  meat  for  ourselves,  but 
they  took  the  entrails  down  to  the  very  last  bit.  Glad 
we  have  the  beasts,  as  the  double  walk  every  day  in 
this  climate  is  killing  work. 

Eighteen  and  a  half  miles;  morning,  58;  noon,  96; 
night,  69. 

October  19. — Went  out  alone  with  Kongoni  on  the 
chance  of  seeing  another  cob.  Blundered  into  a  bush- 
buck  and  killed  it.  It  proved  to  have  a  whacking  big 
head — sixteen  and  a  half  inches  as  opposed  to  about 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  273 

twelve  inches  of  my  others.  The  Kavirondo  gathered, 
and  I  promised  them  the  meat  if  they  would  stand  for 
photos  in  their  village.  They  are  very  shy  of  the 
camera.  To  this  they  agreed,  but  even  as  it  was  they 
dove  for  blankets,  skins,  etc.,  before  they  would  pose. 
I  do  not  think  this  indicated  any  sense  of  feeling  naked, 
but  rather  a  vain  desire  to  show  off  their  wealth.  In 
the  afternoon  I  again  covered  the  little  round  but  saw 
nothing.  In  the  meantime  Cuninghame  had  struck 
camp,  and  when  I  got  in  all  was  ready  for  the  train. 
At  8  :oo  we  started  for  Nairobi. 

Seven  and  three  quarter  miles;  morning,  59;  noon,  97; 
night  (?). 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

This  practically  completed  the  trip  into  the  "new" 
country- .  The  rest  of  the  journal  is  here  included 
simply  for  what  interest  may  inhere  in  it  as  a  hunting 
narrative.  On  our  return  to  Nairobi  we  resolved  to  go 
into  the  forests  about  Mount  Kenia  in  search  of  elephant. 
There  are  a  great  many  elephant  there,  but  they  dwell 
in  such  thick  jungle  and  are  so  truculently  inclined  that 
Cuninghame  had  uttered  his  intention  of  never  going 
after  them  again.  However,  he  changed  his  mind  in  the 
enthusiasm  of  camp-fire  talk.  We  purposed  paying  off 
a  portion  of  our  men,  and  sending  a  small  safari  on  to 
Fort  Hall — four  days'  march.  There  we  would  join 
them  by  the  new  Thika  tramway  and  two  days '  march. 
(The  Journal  Resumes) 

October  20. — Have  only  to  record  the  extreme 
pleasure  we  felt  at  our  first  gulp  of  the  cooler  air  of  the 
highlands.  For  some  months  we  have  been  in  a  high, 
humid  temperature,  day  and  night;  and  we  have  al- 
most forgotten  what  cool  air  feels  like.  At  Nairobi  ran 
into  James  Barnes  who,  with  Cherry  Kearton,  is  out 
here  taking  moving  pictures  of  game.  He  says  they 
have  films  of  thirty-three  species,  none  of  them  fright- 
ened in  any  way. 

274 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  275 

October  21. — Down  to  the  store  at  9:00  and  found 
Cuninghame  paying  off  some  of  the  men  and  so  chat- 
tering and  wild  with  fever  that  he  hardly  knew  what  he 
was  doing.  Several  of  us  had  to  exert  mild  force  to 
get  him  awa}',  as  he  was  sufficiently  out  of  his  head  to 
feel  that  he  ought  to  work.  Twenty  men  had  already 
started  for  Fort  Hall  before  this  attack  came  on. 
Wired  them  to  sit  down  there  until  they  heard  from  us; 
and  got  Cuninghame  to  bed.  Dined  with  the  New- 
lands.  The  other  evening  Wuznam,  the  game  ranger, 
was  riding  along  near  Nairobi  on  a  motorcycle  and  was 
for  some  distance  pursued  by  a  lion!  I  wonder  what 
sort  of  game  the  beast  thought  he  was  chasing!  And 
isn't  it  a  "comic  supplement"  picture! 

October  22-28  inclusive. — In  Nairobi  waiting  for 
Cuninghame  to  get  well.  We  moved  him  up  to  New- 
land 's  house.  Everybody  was  most  kind  to  me,  and  I 
did  not  take  a  dinner  at  the  hotel.  Occupied  the  day- 
time in  making  maps,  writing,  etc.  A  good  deal  of  rain 
at  night  and  in  showers. 

October  29. — Started  at  10:30  for  Fort  Hall  in  a 
twenty-horsepower  Minerva  touring  car  that  had  seen 
better  days.  It  was  a  terribly  heavy  piece  of  ordnance 
for  its  power,  but  it  had  four  speeds.  The  chap  who 
drove  it  was  firmly  convinced  that  it  could  not  last 
much  longer  anyhow  and  he  might  as  well  use  it  while 
it  held  together.  Also  the  Fort  Hall  road  is  no  level 
macadamized  boulevard!     We  charged  down  hills  and 


276  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

across  the  flats  with  a  grand  clatter  and  bang,  bouncing 
in  and  out  of  holes  with  such  a  whack  that  we  had  hard 
work  to  stick  in;  and  crawled  slowly  up  hills  on  our 
lower  gears.  However  it  was  a  heap  faster  than  safari; 
and  by  a  little  after  noon  we  had  reached  Blue  Post — 
ordinarily  a  two  days' journey !  Ate  lunch  there;  and 
reached  Fort  Hall  at  4:00.  Our  boys  seemed  glad  to 
see  us,  and  had  camp  all  fixed  in  shape.  Fort  Hall  is 
situated  on  one  of  the  long  tongues  of  land  that  radiate 
out  from  Kenia,  with  a  canon  several  hundred  feet  deep 
on  either  side.  Usual  officials'  quarters,  askari  tents, 
and  Indian  dukkas.  Many  trees  and  green  grass. 
Met  the  A.  D.  C,  Lawford  by  name,  a  young  and  en- 
thusiastic chap  who  had  killed  his  first  lion  and  could 
talk  of  little  else.  Mrs.  Lawford  gave  us  tea.  Rained 
in  the  night,  so  we  were  very  glad  we  had  finished  the 
motor-car  end  of  the  journey. 

Night,  70. 

October  30. — Dropped  down  from  the  tongue  of  land 
to  a  vigorous  mountain  stream,  followed  it  a  short 
distance,  wriggled  through  a  pass  in  the  hills,  and 
rested  at  the  celebrated  government  bridge  across  the 
Tana.  This  is  the  Kikuyu  country,  and  the  shamhas 
are  everywhere.  As  it  is  now  the  beginning  of  the 
small  rains,  everybody  is  farming.  The  soil  is  turned 
up  by  means  of  a  pointed  stick.  It  would  astonish  one 
who  had  never  seen  it  to  observe  how  well  the  ground 
is  prepared  and  over  how  great  an  extent.     Both  men 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  277 

and  women  work  in  the  fields  at  this  the  rush  season, 
though  generally  the  woman  does  the  labour.  A  banana 
leaf  skirt  is  the  sign  of  husbandry,  and  is  only  donned 
when  farming  is  on.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  system  in 
the  way  old  bean  stalks,  etc.,  are  gathered  in  rows  and 
finally  disposed  of  by  burning.  In  addition  to  the  bean 
fields  and  grain  fields  are  many  large  banana  groves. 

At  the  bridge  we  found  a  native  spear  market,  and  a 
native  general  market.  The  latter  consists  in  bringing 
what  you  have  to  sell  or  barter  and  displaying  it  under 
a  suitable  tree.  Here  we  procured  a  guide.  The  net- 
work of  hills  from  here  to  the  slopes  proper  of  Kenia  is 
so  complicated,  the  cafions  between  them  so  deep,  and 
the  cultivation  so  shifting  that  even  Kongoni,  who 
had  been  up  here  several  times,  would  not  undertake  to 
find  the  way.  We  marched  until  about  noon,  the  foot- 
hills getting  gradually  higher;  then  camped  in  an  old 
bean  field.  Rained  heavily  in  the  afternoon ;  but  at  5 130 
Kenia  broke  through  the  clouds,  glittering  like  an  opal- 
escent jewel  of  a  mountain  far  in  the  depths  of  an 
African  evening  sky.     Feeling  seedy. 

Four  hours  fifty  minutes;  12  miles;  morning,  64;  noon, 
94;  night,  66. 

October  31. — We  now  began  to  thread  our  way  along 
high  rounded  ridges  between  which  were  tremendous 
canons  and  dashing  streams  of  water.  The  huts  clung 
to  the  side  hills,  or  were  perched  atop  the  divides.  A 
high  growth  of  bracken  or  blackberry^  vines  clothed  all 


278  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  country  with  a  green  mantle  ten  feet  high.  The 
paths  ran  like  narrow  lanes  through  this  rank  growth. 
Although  at  one  time  forested  there  were  now  no  trees, 
with  the  exception  of  solitary  specimens  perched  here  and 
there  on  commanding  heights.  Cuninghame  says  these 
have  been  spared  because  they  are  considered  sacred. 
At  many  of  the  villages  the  natives  were  making 
tembo* 

A  log  with  many  shallow  holes  connected  by  channels 
and  a  hard  rounded  stick  as  pestle  was  the  whole  appa- 
ratus. A  string  of  women  brought  up  loads  of  the 
sugar  cane.  Others  hacked  off  the  outer  covering  and 
shredded  the  pulp.  A  third  lot  pounded  out  the  juice. 
After  it  should  have  fermented  to  a  certain  point  it 
would  be  drawn  off  in  gourds.     Then  the  village  drunk! 

Our  guide,  becoming  a  trifle  uncertain,  called  in  from 
time  to  time  the  assistance  of  others.  They  dropped 
whatever  they  were  doing,  and  quite  cheerfully  walked 
an  hour  or  so  over  these  ungodly  hills,  and  then  said 
farewell.  All  this  without  reward  of  any  kind.  It 
rained  heavily  from  time  to  time,  and  we  became  well 
soaked  through.  In  addition  the  downpour  made  the 
clay  of  the  hills  very  slippery.  As  a  consequence  it 
was  not  until  about  three  o  'clock  that  we  burst  out  of 
this  vine  country  to  a  little  open  space.  Here  abruptly 
began  the  forest. 

Near  the  edge  of  the  forest  stood  silently  a  dozen 

*  Native  beer. 


THE    COUNTRY    OUTSIDE    THE    ELEPHANT   FOREST 


THE    UPPER    TANA    RIVER    NEAR    FORT    HALL 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  279 

naked  red-brown  savages  with  spears.  They  were 
fine,  lithe  creatures.  The  news  of  our  coming  had  gone 
ahead  of  us,  and  they  were  waiting  for  us.  Cuning- 
hame  is  well  known  among  these  wild  people.  Follow- 
ing closely  on  their  heels  we  plunged  into  the  deep 
woods,  and  after  a  half-hour  turning,  twisting,  and 
ducking  about,  apparently  at  random,  we  popped  out 
into  a  tiny  grass  meadow  right  in  the  middle  of  the  big 
trees.  It  was  about  100  yards  in  diameter,  like  a 
shallow  saucer  in  shape.  This,  Cuninghame  explained, 
was  his  customary  camp,  known  as  "Tembo  Circus." 
Even  he,  many  times  as  he  has  been  here,  is  unable  to 
find  it  without  the  help  of  his  Wanderobo  friends;  and 
many  other  people  have  tried  in  vain  to  reach  it. 

We  made  camp,  and  managed  to  get  a  fire  going  and 
to  dry  off.  Everything  was  steaming  with  dampness. 
Occasionally  low  heavy  clouds  swept  across  and  dumped 
their  contents  down  on  us.  The  tops  of  the  great 
trees  by  which  we  were  surrounded  often  touched  the 
lower  fringes  of  these  clouds. 

Let  us  now  consider  why  I  am  here,  anyway.  Be- 
fore I  went  to  Africa  the  first  time,  I  rather  looked 
down  on  elephant  shooting.  "Anybody  ought  to  be 
able  to  hit  an  elephant, "  said  I  to  myself.  It  seemed  to 
me  a  good  deal  like  shooting  at  a  barn.  Beside  which, 
I  had  a  soft  spot  in  my  heart  for  my  old  circus  friend. 

But  I  had  not  been  very  long  in  Africa  before  I  be- 
gan to  modify  my  ideas.     In  the  first  place,  the  African 


28o  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

elephant  was  not  my  old  circus  friend  at  all,  but  a  beast 
two  and  a  half  feet  taller,  very  much  longer,  and  pos- 
sessed of  a  truculent  disposition.  Nobody  has  suc- 
cessfully domesticated  the  African  elephant,  much  less 
taught  him  to  work  and  be  useful.  Carthage  used  him 
in  war,  but  even  for  that  purpose  was  able  to  employ 
only  the  immature  beasts  of  a  northerly  race  now  ex- 
tinct. In  the  second  place,  the  African  elephant — un- 
less one  makes  a  special  very  long  unhealthy  journey 
— is  to  be  found  only  in  thick  forests  where  one  can  see 
but  a  few  yards  in  any  direction.  The  hunter  has  to 
approach  very  near  before  he  can  see  to  shoot.  Further- 
more, since  the  law  prohibits  the  shooting  of  cows  and 
of  bulls  with  tusks  that  weigh  less  than  thirty  pounds 
each,  he  must  maneuver  to  examine  his  beast,  and 
must  arrange  to  back  out  again — -undiscovered — if  the 
elephant  is  not  the  right  sort  of  an  elephant.  As  there 
may  be  forty  others  scattered  about,  and  as  any  of  the 
forty,  on  getting  his  wind,  will  tell  the  others  about 
him,  and  as  the  lot  will  probably  then  try  deliberately 
to  kill  him,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  game  is  not  so  sim- 
ple as  it  first  appears.  Furthermore,  an  elephant  can 
travel  faster  than  a  man;  he  can  break  any  tree  the 
ordinary  man  can  climb;  and  he  is  exceedingly  per- 
sistent. And,  finally,  it  is  not  at  all  like  shooting  at  a 
barn.  There  is  just  one  spot,  three  inches  wide  by 
seven  inches  long,  where  a  shot  is  instantly  fatal;  and 
only  a  few  other  small  places  where  a  shot  even  does 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 


2S1 


any  ultimate  good.  One  must  know  his  anatomy;  and 
even  then  it  is  generally  very  difficult  to  make  out 
fatal  spots  through  the  dimness  and  the  screen  of  a 
forest.  And,  lastly,  an  elephant  is  a  great  traveller;  so 
that  a  fresh  trail  means  little  unless  it  is  instantly  and 
rapidly  followed.  When  I  had  learned  these  things  I 
began  to  see  the  reason  for  Cuninghame's  emphatic 
statement :  that  the  man  who  got  his  bull  elephant — in 
this  country — had  earned  him. 

Cuninghame  is  the  greatest  elephant  man  in  Africa. 
Therefore  when  three  years  ago  he  told  me  that  never 
again  would  he  go  among  the  elephants  of  Kenia,  I 
believed  him. 

"They  are  getting  too  kali,'^  said  he;  "it  isn't  good 
enough.  They  have  got  so  that  if  they  hear  a  shot  or  a 
broken  twig  even,  or  smell  the  faintest  indication  of  a 
human  being,  they  come  for  him  at  once." 

Then  I  talked  to  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Zoological 
Expedition.  He  had  gone  up  to  Kenia  with  Cuning- 
hame to  get  elephant.  The  hunt  ended  by  Cuning- 
hame's going  down  into  the  herd  and  killing  the  beast. 
He  also  fired  twelve  shots  from  his  heavy  gun  merely  to 
keep  off  the  herd.  He  himself  acknowledged  that  twice 
he  had  nearly  been  caught. 

"I  wouldn't  have  gone  among  that  screaming  lot  of 
devils  for  anything  onearth,"  the  Swede  told  me  frankly. 
"I  told  Cuninghame  if  he  was  fool  enough  to  do  so,  he 
had  my  permission.     I  sat  down  on  a  rock." 


282  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Nevertheless,  here  we  were!  It  is  always  that  way 
with  hunters '  good  resolutions. 

After  tea  we  called  up  the  Wanderobo  for  a  shauri. 
The  Wanderobo  are  little  wild  men,  forest  dwellers, 
who  have  no  houses,  no  crops,  no  cattle;  whose  sole 
possessions  are  a  few  wire  ornaments,  their  bows  and 
arrows,  skin  robes,  and  a  wonderful  instinctive  knowledge 
of  the  woods.  These  four  knew  Cuninghame  of  old 
and  were  willing  to  trust  him.  Very  few  people  ever 
get  to  see  them  at  all.  They  agreed  that  they  should 
go  scouting  in  different  directions  to-morrow,  on  the 
search  for  fresh  tracks,  while  we  awaited  in  camp  for 
the  first  report. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

The  forests  of  Kenia  are  of  hardwood.  They  grow 
on  the  lower  slopes  of  the  mountains,  extending  up  to 
the  8,000-9,000  mark,  where  they  are  succeeded  by  the 
bamboos.  Therefore  the  surface  of  the  country  they 
cover  is  hilly,  consisting  of  long  spur-like  ridges  or 
hogsbacks  with  steep  sides  separated  by  deep  canons 
and  short  lateral  ravines.  The  forest  growth  itself  is 
of  three  kinds:  Imagine,  first,  the  planting  of  single 
great  spreading  trees  at  spaced  intervals;  trees  in  shape 
like  elms,  maples,  or  beeches,  but  three  or  four  times 
their  size.  Fill  in  the  spaces  between  them  with  a  very 
thick  growth  of  smaller  trees — one  hundred  feet  high 
and  a  foot  or  so  through.  Then  below  that  a  leafy 
undergrowth,  so  dense  as  to  be  literally  impenetrable 
to  either  sight  or  locomotion.  This  undergrowth  is  of 
many  varieties.  It  puts  out  big  leaves,  small  leaves; 
grows  on  hard  stems,  watery  soft  stems;  it  stands  a  foot 
high  or  forty — generally  both.  Vines  of  all  sizes  tie  it 
together;  vines  ranging  in  size  from  little  tough  ones  as 
small  as  a  whipcord  through  which  you  think  you  can 
push  easily  (you  cannot !)  up  to  big  cables.  Underfoot 
are  ferns.  Along  the  slanting  trunks  of  trees  grow 
other  ferns  and  damp  mosses.     Streamers  of  moss  de- 

^83 


284  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

pend  from  limbs  and  sway  in  the  currents  of  air. 
Orchids  cling.  All  small  dead  twigs  are  muffled  tightly 
in  vivid  moss.  On  the  slopes  of  the  canons  and  the 
heads  of  ravines  are  little  forests  of  tree  ferns,  feathery 
and  beautiful.     These  run  to  thirty  feet  in  height. 

Everything  is  dripping  wet.  Indeed  the  strongest 
single  impression  that  remains  to  me  of  that  forest  is 
that  it  was  a  varnished  forest;  every  leaf,  every  branch, 
every  smooth  surface  shines  polished.  Always  in  the 
ear  is  a  slow  and  solemn  dripping. 

When  one,  with  difficulty,  forces  himself  ten  feet 
from  the  track,  he  knows  not  where  he  can  go  next. 
Were  it  not  for  elephant  tracks  he  could  not  get  about 
at  aU.  Old  tembo  makes  nothing  of  what  to  his  little 
enemy  is  an  impenetrable  jungle.  When  he  wants  to 
go  anywhere,  he  goes;  and  he  pushes  aside  trees  as  we 
push  aside  blades  of  grass.  Nothing  inspires  more  awe 
and  respect  for  these  animals  than,  first,  these  paths 
broken  through  the  jungle;  and,  second,  the  sight  of  the 
great  beasts  themselves,  calmly,  ruthlessly,  without 
hurry,  without  effort,  bursting  the  barrier  of  the  forest. 

Another  impression  of  the  unique  character  of  this 
forest  for  two  days  eluded  my  analysis.  I  felt  that 
here  was  something  strange  and  unusual,  but  I  could 
not  seize  it.  It  made  its  impress,  and  yet  it  eluded; 
and  in  the  end  it  haunted  me,  worried  me,  as  the  for- 
getting of  a  name  that  one  has  "on  the  tip  of  the 
tongue."     Finally  I  got  it.     Here  are  no  "dead  and 


ONE   OF   THE    "dEROBO"   ELEPHANT  HUNTERS 


SAVAGES    IN    THE    ELEPHANT    FOREST 


n'JAHGI    (reader's    right)    ANU    ills    HEAD    ASSISTANT 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  2S5 

dowTi"  trees.  These  massive  giants  fall  at  such  in- 
tervals; and  they  are  so  immediately  absorbed  by  the 
forces  of  dampness  and  decay!  With  us  a  down  tree 
may  lie  twenty  years  or  more  before  it  disintegrates. 
Here  it  is  gone  in  two. 

.In  daytime  these  forests  seem  almost  void  of  life. 
There  are  few  birds,  few  visible  or  audible  animals,  few 
insects.  Silence  holds,  save  for  the  voices  of  the  wind 
or  the  rain.  But  with  the  fall  of  dusk  strange  creatures 
awaken.  Leopards  sigh  and  the  tree  hyraxes  and  the 
colobus  raise  their  strange  and  eerie  cries.  There  are 
few  wilder  sounds  in  nature  than  the  long  mournful 
crescendo  shriek  of  the  female  hyrax.  It  is  demoniac. 
The  moment  the  night  is  dark  they  begin,  near  the 
very  edge  of  the  camp,  in  the  blackness  of  the  depths 
beyond,  far  off  in  the  distance,  like  lost  souls  groping 
and  crying  for  each  other's  guidence. 

November  i. — Early  in  the  morning  the  Wanderobo 
prepared  to  set  forth.  The  pursuit  of  the  elephant  is 
much  more  than  a  sporting  incident  in  their  lives;  it  is  a 
real  and  solemn  end  of  existence.  Before  starting  out 
they  drew  a  little  to  one  side,  squatted  in  a  circle,  and 
made  medicine.  It  was  really  impressive.  An  old  man 
performed  the  ritual,  raising  his  hands,  palm  up,  to 
heaven;  facing  in  turn  to  all  points  of  the  compass; 
bending  humbly,  his  hands  crossed  on  his  breast;  call- 
ing on  the  forest  and  the  Powers  in  a  loud  voice.  The 
others,  their  heads  low,  muttered  choral  responses,  and 


286  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

at  times  beat  the  earth  softly  in  unison  with  the  palms 
of  their  hands.  It  was  genuine  "high  church"  for 
them,  and  when  they  had  finished  they  arose  and  im- 
mediately disappeared  in  the  forest. 

The  morning  was  clear.  At  about  eleven,  however, 
the  clouds  blackened  with  inconceivable  rapidity,  and 
in  ten  minutes  rain  was  falling  heavily.  At  about  the 
same  time  in  came  two  of  the  Wanderobo  to  tell  us  that 
they  had  actually  seen  an  elephant.  Immediately  we 
called  the  gunbearers  and  plunged  into  the  dripping 
woods.  We  followed  our  two  Wanderobo  at  a  great 
pace  for  two  hours,  crossing  two  deep  caiions  on  the  way. 
It  rained  steadily  all  the  time  and  we  were  soon  wet  and 
soggy.  Once  N'jahgi,  the  elder,  pointed  to  a  hoUow  in 
a  tree  closed  by  a  rude  door  of  bark,  and  gave  us  to  un- 
derstand that  it  was  one  of  his  residences.  On  top  of 
the  last  ridge  above  the  second  stream  they  showed  us 
some  red  mud  rubbed  smooth  and  shiny,  as  though 
with  an  immense  trowel,  and  plastered  high  up  on  the 
trunk  of  a  big  tree. 

After  staring  at  it  a  moment  I  realized  that  here  an 
elephant  had  rubbed  his  huge  flanks,  and  was  amazed 
at  the  height  of  the  mud  above  the  ground.  We 
followed  that  elephant 's  spoor  until  three  o  'clock.  He 
wandered  steadily  up  the  slope  of  the  hogsback  to- 
ward the  mountain.  Sometimes  his  great  footprints 
were  as  plain  and  about  as  large  as  a  foot- tub;  at  others 
they  could  be  distinguished  only  with  the  greatest 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  287 

difficulty,  and  the  'derobo  had  to  look  very  carefully  at 
the  junction  of  two  elephant  trails  to  see  whether  the 
beast  had  gone  on  one  or  the  other.  Going  up  or  down 
hill  he  had  made  some  grand  slippery  slides  in  the  red 
clay,  and  we  had  a  high  old  time  getting  up  at  all.  It 
was  like  climbing  an  icy  roof.  At  three  o'clock  we  had 
to  turn  back.  It  was  that  or  spend  the  night  in  the 
forest.  The  rain  continued.  Our  little  Wanderobo 
shivered  like  dogs,  and  wrung  out  their  little  pieces  of 
cotton  cloth.  When  we  got  to  camp  we  gave  them 
each  a  blanket. 

The  men  had  succeeded  in  coaxing  up  good  fires;  and 
had  built  an  open-front  shelter  for  the  savages.  We 
got  into  dry  clothes.  At  dusk  the  rain  ceased;  and 
almost  immediately  the  demons  of  the  forest  lifted  up 
their  wild  shriekings  again.  I  feel  I  can  hardly  ex- 
aggerate the  wild  and  uncanny  effect  of  these  voices. 

November  2. — We  now  prepared  in  earnest  to  follow 
the  trail  of  the  elephant,  and  to  stay  by  the  spoor  until 
we  came  up  with  him.  We  took  one  light  tent,  blank- 
ets, and  some  cold  food. 

Before  we  started  the  Wanderobo  again  made  medi- 
cine; for  the  pursuit  of  an  elephant  is  a  very  solemn 
thing.  Each  snipped  a  link  from  his  ornamental  steel 
chain;  one  produced  an  old  dried  piece  of  elephant 
meat;  another  built  a  tiny  fire.  The  elephant  meat 
was  thrown  on  the  coals,  and  the  links  of  chain  laid  atop 
it.     N'jahgi  performed  the  ritual  while  the  rest  of  us 


288  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

squatted  in  a  circle  below  him.  As  yesterday,  he 
raised  his  hands,  palm  up,  to  the  skies;  he  faced  in  turn 
all  parts  of  the  compass;  he  bent  humbly,  his  hands 
crossed  on  his  breast,  calling  on  the  forest,  the  Powers, 
and  the  gods  of  elephants  in  a  loud  monotone.  The 
others,  once  more,  their  heads  low,  muttered  choral 
responses,  and  at  times  beat  the  earth  softly,  in  unison, 
with  the  palms  of  their  hands.  Then  suddenly  they 
rose  and  disappeared,  leaving  us  by  the  little  fire. 
After  a  short  interval  they  returned,  bringing  tufts  of 
some  herb.  These  N'jahgi  dipped  in  the  white  ashes, 
and  with  them  spattered  each  countenance,  muttering 
some  sort  of  a  charm.  The  herbs  were  distributed. 
Each  sat  on  his  share,  while  N'jahgi  intoned  another 
invocation.  Obeying  a  gesture  we  arose  and  started 
for  the  forest.  But  this  was  not  all.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  elephant  spoor  the  little  men  all  knelt  down  in  a 
row,  beat  the  earth  softly  with  their  palms,  shook  their 
herb  bundles  in  the  air,  bent  forward  and  blew  three 
times  on  the  trail.  Then  they  planted  the  herbs  be- 
neath trees  on  either  side  of  the  trail.  We  started  in 
good  earnest. 

It  rained  steadily.  For  three  hours  we  followed  the 
Wanderobo  at  a  great  pace,  crossing  two  deep  cafions 
on  the  way.  At  dark  we  camped  where  we  found  our- 
selves. The  rain  continued.  Our  little  Wanderobo 
shivered  like  dogs. 

It  took  half  an  hour  to  make  a  fire.     These  tropical 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  289 

forests  are  almost  hopelessly  without  the  facilities  our 
own  woods  offer  for  such  a  purpose.  There  is  no 
dry  wood,  no  tinder,  no  green  wood  carrying  pitch. 
Every  dead  twig  is  sodden  through ;  the  under  sides  of 
down  or  slanting  trees  have  become  wet  by  capillary 
attraction.  A  pinch  of  powdered  bark  is  a  treasure  to 
be  gained  only  by  long  searching.  At  the  end  of  the 
full  half  hour  our  united  efforts  gained  us  a  sort  of  dull 
smoulder,  without  flame.  Some  one  had  to  blow  on  it 
continually  to  keep  it  from  going  out.  Only  late  in 
the  evening  did  it  spring  into  a  flame  that  had  value  for 
drying;  and  even  then  a  relaxation  of  vigilance  would 
drop  it  back  to  a  sullen  smoking  mockery.  As  we  were 
soaked  through,  and  our  tent  was  wet,  and  we  had 
only  cold  mutton,  bread,  and  peanuts  to  eat,  this  was 
not  the  most  comfortable  camp  in  the  world.  How- 
ever, we  smoked  our  pipes. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

November  3. — This  morning  the  spoor  led  us  up  be- 
yond the  forested  belt  and  into  the  bamboos.  It  was 
like  a  fairyland — sometimes  a  i-ather  steep  and  scrambly 
fairyland,  but  full  of  glades  and  little  levels.  The 
bamboo  is  of  the  giant  type,  thirty  to  fifty  feet  tall, 
and  from  four  to  six  inches  in  diameter.  The  stalk  is 
bright  green.  Its  tendency  is  to  grow  evenly  thick  and 
impenetrable,  but  that  tendency  has  been  modified  by 
the  tramping  of  generations  of  elephants,  so  that  in  all 
directions  through  it  are  winding  paths,  short  vistas, 
and  tiny  open  glades. 

Sometimes  it  is  as  dark  as  evening;  and  as  mysteri- 
ous. Sometimes  the  light  strikes  down  brilliantly  from 
above.  Underfoot  the  whole  surface  of  the  ground  is 
carpeted  with  tiny  feather  ferns  only  an  inch  or  so 
high,  indescribably  soft  and  beautiful.  Occasionally  in 
the  more  open  places  these  spring  to  the  dimensions  of 
bracken.  And  occasionally,  too,  we  came  upon  single 
wide-spreading  trees  that  had  cleared  themselves  a 
space  amid  the  bamboo,  like  rest  houses  beneath  which 
to  stop. 

Everything  is  green — the  bamboo  stalks,  the  fine 

soft  ground  covering,  the  damp  moss  that  seems  im- 

290 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  291 

mediately  to  cover  the  dead  stalks,  the  shadows,  the 
very  light  itself  striking  through  the  feathery  tops. 
There  is  here  no  active  animal  or  bird  life;  and  there- 
fore it  is  extraordinarily  quiet.  No  sharp  sound  breaks 
the  stillness;  only  are  heard  the  hushed  rustling  of  the 
slender  bamboo  leaves  far  above  and  the  muffled  drip- 
ping of  the  rain.  A  mysterious,  cool,  green,  quiet 
place,  like  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

In  the  bamboos  one  can  never  see  over  ten  yards, 
and  rarely  that.  They  offer  no  barrier  whatever  to  an 
elephant.  If  one  should  come  upon  him  at  the  wrong 
end,  so  to  speak,  he  would  have  to  back  out  and  go 
around.  These  considerations  made  us  rejoice  when 
our  elephant's  spoor  led  us  down  again  and  into  the 
forest. 

All  this,  while  interesting,  was  hard,  hard  work  for 
everybody.  It  now  came  on  to  rain  harder  than  ever; 
in  fact  the  torrent  roared  down  on  us  so  copiously  that 
we  could  not  face  it  and  had  to  get  beneath  the  slanting 
trunks  of  trees  until  it  had  eased  up  a  bit.  Here  we 
made  shift  to  eat  a  few  potio  cakes,  peanuts,  and  choco- 
late.    After  a  bit  we  went  on. 

About  one  o'clock  suddenly  we  heard  him  trumpet. 
The  sound  was  very  loud,  and  like  a  rather  shrill  loco- 
motive whistle.  We  went  on  cautiously.  The  trail 
led  us  down  the  middle  of  a  stream  for  some  distance, 
so  we  had  to  wade  nearly  up  to  our  waists;  but  we  were 
already  well  soaked,  so  we  did  not  much  mind.     The 


292  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

beast  was  wandering  along  aimlessly.  We  followed 
two  hours  without  being  able  to  catch  up.  Then  ab- 
ruptly we  all  saw  him,  about  sixty  yards  away,  down 
through  a  chance  thinning  in  the  smaller  trees.  At 
the  very  instant,  without  a  sound,  he  seemed  to  evapo- 
rate into  thin  air.  Never  would  I  have  believed  so 
enormous  a  creature  could  have  moved  so  quickly  and 
so  silently  through  that  dense  cover.  If  it  had  not 
been  for  his  indubitable  spoor,  I  should  almost  have 
been  willing  to  believe  him  a  creature  of  the  imagination. 
But  for  the  brief  instant  I  had  seen  him  plainly.  My 
most  vivid  impression  was  of  his  length,  for  I  had  not 
realized  how  "long  coupled"  the  African  elephant  is  as 
compared  to  the  Indian  elephant  we  see  in  circuses. 
The  next  most  vivid  impression  was  of  his  bulk  and  the 
golden  yellow  effect  of  his  tusks  against  the  dimness  of 
the  forest. 

We  had  made  no  noise,  but  an  eddy  had  swept  our 
wind  around  to  him. 

We  sent  back  one  of  the  Wanderobo  to  bring  up  the 
men;  and  again  took  the  trail.  At  five  o'clock,  as  he 
was  still  travelling,  we  reluctantly  came  to  a  halt. 
Another  cold  camp  in  the  rain — a  cheerless,  wet,  smoky 
camp;  and  we  took  our  water  supply  from  the  natural 
reservoir  of  one  of  the  elephant's  footprints! 

November  4. — This  morning  we  followed  on  until 
eleven  o  'clock  in  generally  southeast  direction,  wander- 
ing in  the  heavy  forests,  in  the  lower  fringe  of  bamboo, 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  293 

and  occasionally  out  to  openings  grown  twenty  feet 
high  with  vines  and  bush  undergrowth,  but  from  which 
we  could  see  the  sky.  At  last  Cuninghame  stopped 
short  with  an  exclamation  of  dismay. 

"We're  in  for  it  now!"  he  whispered. 

The  side  hill  looked  as  though  an  avalanche  had 
swept  down  it.     Our  elephant  had  joined  a  herd! 

Almost  immediately  afterward  we  heard  a  queer, 
subdued,  roaring  sound,  exactly  like  distant  thun- 
der. This  was  the  stomach  rumbling  that  attends 
an  elephant's  digestion.  I  had  heard  of  it,  but  I 
had  not  before  realized  how  loud  it  is  nor  how  far  it 
carries. 

Elephants  were  trumpeting  on  the  hill  opposite;  the 
occasional  distant  thunder  sound  rumbled  across  to  us; 
every  few  moments  a  rending  crash  startled  us  like 
a  distant  pistol  shot.  We  gazed  anxiously  at  the  moss 
dependent  from  the  higher  trees,  to  ascertain  the  di- 
rection of  the  wind.  We  left  all  but  N'jahgi  and 
Kongoni,  and  moved  cautiously  in  the  general  direction 
of  the  row. 

We  tried  to  keep  well  to  leeward  of  the  whole  lot; 
but  twice  outlying  elephants  somewhere  to  our  right 
trumpeted  or  rumbled,  and  twice  we  backed  out  and 
tried  again,  before  we  had  given  them  our  wind.  We 
had  first  of  all  to  get  outside  of  every  beast  before  we 
could  begin  to  look  for  individuals.  Thus  we  descended 
our  side  hill,  and  prepared  to  cross  to  the  other.     At 


294  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  bottom  I  happened  to  be  a  little  above  the  others 
and  so  was  in  a  position  to  see  plainly  an  elephant 
walking  leisurely  down  into  the  same  hollow  from  the 
other  side.  He  was  only  about  fifty  yards  away,  and 
looked  as  big  as  the  Flatiron  building.  I  snapped  my 
fingers  and  so  got  hold  of  Cuninghame  and  Kongoni, 
but  N'jahgi  was  too  far  ahead,  and  wound  his  un- 
conscious way  steadily  toward  the  great  beast.  A 
head-on  meeting  seemed  inevitable;  but  Kongoni,  on 
inspiration,  chucked  a  piece  of  earth  into  the  high 
grass  near  N'jahgi.  The  savage  caught  the  slight 
sound  of  its  falling,  and  looked  back.  We  motioned 
him  to  us,  and  the  situation  was  saved.  The  elephant 
pushed  his  way  slowly  into  the  thick  forest. 

Now  directly  ahead  we  heard  the  sound  of  trumpet- 
ing, crashing,  heavy  snorting.  We  crept  forward  like 
snakes,  our  eyes  straining  into  the  dimness.  Cuning- 
hame paused  to  whisper  back  to  me : 
"This  is  highly  dangerous,  you  know!" 
I  was  glad  to  get  my  own  impressions  corroborated 
by  an  expert.  The  great  beasts  were  all  about  us,  yet 
we  could  not  see  twenty  yards.  All  we  could  do  was  to 
listen  and  look  and  move  forward  by  inches.  Cuning- 
hame had  told  me  that  when  among  elephants  I  should 
always  keep  clearly  in  my  mind  my  line  of  retreat; 
must  know  exactly  where  I  intended  to  dive  in  case  of 
trouble.  I  kept  picking  out  places  and  discarding 
them  as  they  fell  too  far  in  the  rear;  though  none  of 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  295 

them  looked  as  though  they  would  offer  an  insoluble 
problem  to  a  really  unkind  elephant. 

Thus  we  crept  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  Then  we 
came  to  a  tiny  opening  in  the  forest ;  that  opening  was 
chock  full  of  elephants.  They  stood  lazily,  having  a 
good  time,  swinging  their  trunks,  flapping  their  ears, 
blinking  their  little  eyes.  Occasionally  one  of  them 
would  trumpet  loudly.  There  were  perhaps  a  dozen  in 
sight,  beside  a  lot  of  young  ones  whose  backs  just 
showed  above  the  vegetation.  To  judge  by  the  sounds, 
there  must  have  been  twice  as  many  more  just  inside 
the  fringe  of  the  forest.     We  paused. 

"What  next?"  I  whispered. 

"Go  up  and  look  at  them,"  replied  Cuninghame. 

As  we  were  at  the  moment  within  eighty  yards  of 
them,  this  seemed  an  act  of  supererogation.  However,  I 
followed  my  leader.  Cuninghame  turned  to  whisper 
another  warning: 

"For  God's  sake  move  quietly.     If  one  discovers  us,- 
the  whole  lot  will  come  after  us." 

We  crept  to  within  forty  yards  and  stopped.  Cun- 
inghame examined  them  in  detail  for  "shootable 
ivory."  I  examined  them  in  detail  for  indications  of 
suspicious  dispositions  It  seemed  incredible  that  they 
did  not  see  us,  for  our  heads  and  shoulders  were  in 
plain  sight.  Of  course  we  did  not  move.  We  stood 
there  a  century  or  two  while  those  great  creatures 
enjoyed  themselves.     Every  time  one  trumpeted,  or 


296  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

moved,  or  waved  its  ears,  I  got  ready  to  dive  for  the 
"last  safe  place."  That,  it  seemed  to  me,  was  about 
eight  miles  back. 

Then,  very  near — about  fifteen  yards — and  slightly 
to  our  left,  the  screen  of  leaves  was  pushed  aside  and 
the  bow  of  the  Mauretania  thrust  itself  through. 

"Run!"  breathed  Cuninghame. 

We  doubled  up  and  ran.  From  the  edge  of  the  woods 
we  looked  back.  The  elephant  had  stopped  and  was 
feeling  about  in  the  air  with  the  tip  of  its  trunk. 

"That  old  girl  is  suspicious,"  whispered  Cuning- 
hame, "but  she  didn't  see  us." 

She  said  something  to  the  others,  and  they  all  waked 
up.  An  animated  discussion  took  place.  N'jahgi 
quietly  climbed  a  tree.  The  elephant  insisted  on  her 
point.  The  others  were  skeptical,  but  finally  seemed 
to  acquiesce.  The  whole  lot  swung  deliberately  and 
disappeared  in  the  forest. 

"Thafs  all  right,"  said  Cuninghame  in  relief. 
"Thought  they  might  come  our  way." 

I  was  glad,  too.  For  the  moment  I  had  quite  lost 
sight  of  the  fact  that  I  wanted  to  shoot  an  elephant. 

"  What  next?  "  I  inquired. 

"Follow  'em,"  said  Cuninghame,  "and  try  to  find  a 
bull." 

So  we  followed  'em.  Evidently  they  had  not  put 
much  faith  in  the  alarmist,  for  they  had  gone  only  half  a 
mile.     We  could  hear  them  in  all  directions.     Unfortu- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  297 

nately  they  were  now  in  the  thickest  of  the  thick  forest; 
and,  having  been  aroused  from  their  siesta,  they  had 
scattered  widely  in  order  to  feed.  We  sneaked  here 
and  there. 

Suddenly  it  began  to  rain. 

Cuninghame  made  a  gesture  of  despair.  When  it 
rains,  elephants  cease  all  occupation  and  stand  as 
rigidly  quiet  as  though  stuffed.  One  depends  a  good 
deal  upon  the  sense  of  hearing.  Now  the  trumpetings 
ceased,  the  crashes  of  torn  branches  ceased.  A  dead 
silence  fell  on  the  forest,  except  for  the  pattering  and 
swishing  of  the  rain. 

Then  with  terrifying  abruptness  pandemonium  broke 
loose — trumpetings,  shrill  angry  screams,  wild  crash- 
ings,  headlong  rushes  to  and  fro.  The  forest  seemed 
overflowing  with  devils.  A  twist  of  the  wind  had  dis- 
covered our  presence  to  the  herd. 

They  did  not  know  where  we  were:  only  that  we 
were  somewhere.  There  ensued  the  most  exciting 
period  I  have  ever  experienced,  but  whether  it  was 
ten  minutes  or  two  hours,  I  did  not  know.  The  ele- 
phants screamed  and  yelled  and  rushed  here  and  there 
looking  for  us.  We  could  see  the  tops  of  the  smaller 
trees  and  bushes  violently  agitated,  often  within  a  few 
yards,  as  the  beasts  passed ;  but  so  thick  was  the  cover 
that  we  did  not  again  actually  see  them.  Our  ears 
strained  for  every  sound,  we  ducked  and  dodged  and 
sneaked.     It  was  no  longer  a  question  of  shooting  an 


298  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

elephant,  but  of  remaining  undiscovered — for  our  lives. 
Cuninghame  seemed  to  know  more  or  less  of  the 
probable  course  of  the  brutes.  When  he  said  run  uphill, 
I  ran  uphill;  when  he  whispered  run  back,  I  did  so. 
After  what  seemed  a  very  long  time  the  row  began  to 
recede. 

"That's  all  right,"  said  Cuninghame.  "They've 
gone  off." 

We  followed  them  a  short  distance.  A  clear  road- 
way twenty  feet  wide  had  been  razed  clean  where  the 
herd  had  come  together  and  gone  off  in  a  body.  I 
looked  at  my  watch  and  was  surprised  to  find  it  half- 
past  three  already.  We  sent  N'jahgi  back  for  the  men, 
and  huddled  under  a  couple  of  big  trees. 

"Bad  luck,"  said  Cuninghame. 

I  thought  it  was  extraordinarily  good  luck. 

"Want  to  try  again?"  asked  Cuninghame. 

"Of  course,"  said  I;  "why  do  you  ask  that?" 

"Well,"  said  he,  "some  people  simply  cannot  stand 
it  when  the  elephants  begin  to  scream  about  them. 
Courageous  people,  at  that.  I've  had  any  number 
flatly  back  out  and  make  no  bones  about  it.  It's  just 
the  way  it  happens  to  hit  your  nerves." 

We  camped  on  the  spot,  at  7 , 1 50  feet  elevation.  Two 
of  the  giant  forest  hogs  made  off  as  we  came  up.  We 
were  so  jumpy  that  they  scared  us  almost  to  death !  A 
lot  of  Wanderobo  came  in  with  provisions.  In  the  even- 
ing it  stopped  raining,  and  we  found  some  cedar  wood 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  299 

that  would  burn.  This  hard,  slippery',  twisting  work  is 
beginning  to  tell  on  my  broken  leg.  It  is  badly  swollen 
and  has  begun  to  turn  black  below  the  knee.  Cuning- 
hame  and  I  talked  it  over  and  agreed  to  try  one  more 
day,  after  which  we  would  return  to  "Tembo  Circus" 
for  a  rest. 

November  5. — The  fresh  Wanderobo  brought  us 
news  that  an  unsuspected  portion  of  the  herd  had  ap- 
parently been  feeding  farther  to  the  north.  Therefore 
we  set  off  to  look  for  them.  Soon  struck  the  spoor, 
which  led  us  directly  up  the  mountain.  It  is  astonish- 
ing what  steep  slopes  elephants  will  negotiate.  Their 
great  weight  gives  them  a  footing  by  pushing  the  solid 
earth  aside.  We  zigzagged  up  a  near-perpendicular  on 
a  graded  trail  that  the  day  before  had  not  existed.  The 
surface  of  said  graded  trail  had  most  evidently  not 
been  metalled.  An  elephant's  foot  measures  from  fifty 
inches  in  circumference;  and  in  soft  ground  it  often 
sinks  in  ten  inches  to  two  feet.  Each  beast  steps 
accurately  in  the  steps  of  the  one  before.  The  result 
is  a  series  of  babies'  bathtubs,  generally  half  full  of 
muddy  water,  and  always  slippery.  We  followed  this 
lot  up  through  the  bamboos  for  two  or  three  hours;  then 
they  got  our  wind  and  evidently  started  off.  We  heard 
them  trumpet,  but  did  not  see  them.  At  8,100  feet  we 
turned  back,  sliding  down  the  slopes,  falling  in  and  out 
of  the  tracks,  wading  the  streams,  and  keeping  a  wary 
eye  for  elephant  pits.     These  are  everywhere,  and  are  a 


300  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

real  danger  unless  you  watch  out.  They  are  about  six 
or  eight  feet  long,  perhaps  three  feet  wide,  and  eight  or 
ten  feet  deep.  Sometimes  they  are  planted  with  sharp 
stakes,  and  occasionally — but  not  often — these  stakes 
are  poisoned.  A  great  many  of  them  are  disused  and 
open,  so  anybody  can  avoid  them  by  watching  out, 
but  those  covered  are  invisible  to  all  but  the  Wanderobo. 
The  only  way  is  to  follow  the  leader;  and  when  the 
savage  makes  a  little  side-step,  to  make  a  little  side- 
step, too.  Shortcuts  do  not  pay.  The  idea  is  to  get 
the  elephant's  fore  legs  in  this  narrow  trench;  not  the 
whole  beast.  It  must  be  an  incredible  labour  to  dig 
these  pits  with  knives  and  sticks. 

I  have  been  much  interested  in  one  of  the  younger 
Wanderobo,  a  youth  of  eighteen  or  so.  He  is  so  near 
the  animal  that  he  is  attractive.  His  forehead  is 
pinched,  his  nose  wide,  his  mouth  and  chin  project 
actually  beyond  the  nose.  But  with  it  all  he  has  the 
wistful,  soft  brown  eyes  of  the  monkey;  hauntingly  pa- 
thetic and  questing,  as  though  of  an  intelligence  trying  to 
break  through.  He  is  a  most  skilful  tracker;  and  in 
these  wet  forests  no  turned  leaf  or  muddied  twig  es- 
capes him.  The  Wanderobo  are  queer,  primitive  little 
creatures,  absolutely  certain  and  competent  in  the 
forest  craft,  but  equally  helpless  at  everything  else. 
This  is  a  terrible  forest  in  which  to  keep  one 's  bearings ; 
for  there  are  no  landmarks,  no  "lay  of  the  land,"  no 
openings.     Even  the  compass  is  useless,  for  a  straight 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  301 

line  back  to  camp — could  it  be  determined — would 
merely  plunge  one  into  inextricable  difficulties.  Yet 
these  men  will  follow  a  twisting  and  doubling  spoor  for 
three  days,  and  then  strike  accurately  out  of  the  forest 
to  a  distant  camp.  It  must  be  an  instinct.  But  when 
the  day 's  tracking  is  done  they  squat  down  in  their  wet 
blankets,  perfectly  helpless.  The  white  man  builds  the 
fire,  he  rigs  the  shelters,  etc.  When  he  is  ready,  he  in- 
dicates to  the  Wanderobo  where  they  are  to  establish 
themselves.  Otherwise  they  would  continue  squatting 
in  the  same  spot  until  morning! 

After  we  had  lost  this  herd  we  started  back  for  our 
base  camp.  The  three  days  had  about  exhausted  our 
cold  food ;  and  we  ourselves  were  pretty  well  tired  out. 
The  travel  had  been  hard,  wet,  and  long;  the  camps 
without  comfort;  and  the  occasional  excitement  intense. 
My  ankle  had  been  so  twisted  and  abused  that  it  was 
swollen  and  turning  black  so  that  a  day's  rest  seemed 
in  every  way  advisable. 

Cuninghame  and  I  had  no  idea  where  we  might  be, 
nor  how  long  it  would  take  us  to  get  to  camp.  Down 
through  the  forest  we  started  and  walked  until  one 
o'clock,  when  we  emerged  from  the  woods  into  the 
''vine  country."  Then  we  found  we  had  been  skirting 
the  base  of  Kenia  toward  the  east;  and  were  about  half- 
way to  Embu.  It  behooved  us  to  retrace  our  steps. 
The  three  days'  hunt,  however,  could  be  compressed, 
for  we  had  not  now  to  double  and  twist;  we  were  in  a 


3o^ 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 


lower  country;  and  we  had  a  native  track  on  which  to 
travel.  On  the  other  hand,  it  rained  steadily  and 
heavily;  the  native  track  was  composed  of  sticky  or 
slippery  clay,  and  it  had  a  bad  habit  of  crossing  steep 
canons  at  right  angles  without  the  slightest  attempt  at 
easing  the  grades.  By  putting  one  foot  in  front  of  the 
other,  however,  we  made  it;  though  some  of  us  did  not 
get  in  until  long  after  dark,  and  had  to  be  sent  for 
with  lanterns. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

November  6. — Loafed  and  rested  all  day.  By  luck 
we  had  a  bright  sun  all  the  morning  and  were  able  to 
dry  out  our  rather  bedraggled  belongings.  A  powerful 
chief  to  the  west  of  Kenia,  Kurioki  by  name,  sent  me  a 
present  of  a  sheep  and  Cuninghame  a  goat.  Why  the 
invidious  distinction  I  do  not  know.  He  also  sent  two 
of  his  Wanderobo  to  hunt  with  us  on  his  side  of  the 
mountain.  N'jahgi  presented  me  with  his  own  home- 
made knife,  ground  to  razor  sharpness.  This  present 
reaUy  meant  something,  for  such  a  weapon  is  very 
valuable  to  such  a  man.  Our  Wanderobo  were  also 
very  busy  preparing  a  more  powerful  elephant  medi- 
cine, bringing  in  stalks  of  sugar-cane  from  some  distant 
shamba  and  thrusting  them  upright  in  the  ground 
either  side  our  tents.  The  other  medicine  had  brought 
us  elephants  all  right :  but  evidently  something  lacked. 
This  was  to  be  especially  powerful. 

November  7. — To-day  we  went  outside  the  forest 
and  marched  by  native  tracks,  up  and  down  a  fearful 
series  of  hills,  until  we  came  to  Kurioki 's  Land.  Here 
we  picked  up  the  men  he  had  promised  us,  and  re- 
entered the  forest.  The  sugar-cane  medicine  was 
fmished.     Each  man  took  a  piece  of  the  stalk  in  his 

303 


304  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

right  hand  and  knelt,  facing  the  trail.  N'jahgi  cried 
out  a  monologue,  his  hands  raised.  At  the  end  of  each 
phrase  the  others  ejaculated  whah !  whah !  deeply  as- 
pirated, bowed  forward,  and  blew  on  the  ground.  Then 
the  sugar-cane  was  carefully  concealed  to  right  and  left 
of  the  trail. 

As  we  marched  outside  the  forest  the  news  of  our 
presence  was  cried  from  hill  to  hill.  The  carrying 
power  of  the  native  voice  is  astonishing.  They  do  not 
shout,  they  talk,  and  yet  every  syllable  is  distinct 
across  wide  spaces.  The  speaking  voices  of  the  women 
are  most  pleasant,  soft  and  dusky  like  velvet. 

After  two  hours  we  came  to  a  group  of  savages  who 
announced  themselves  as  sent  by  Kurioki.  Kurioki 
himself  they  excused,  saying  that  he  had  hurt  his  leg. 
We  made  more  medicine,  and  plunged  again  into  the 
forest.  Kurioki's  men  led  us  directly  to  the  trail  of 
yesterday's  elephant.  We  proceeded  to  follow  it. 
After  three  hours  the  nature  of  the  forest  changed 
somewhat.  We  began  to  come  across  wide  openings, 
grown  with  grass,  like  Sierra  meadows.  The  forest  and 
these  grass  openings  divided  the  slope  between  them, 
the  forest  running  out  in  tongues,  wide  peninsulas,  and 
islands. 

"Great  luck  if  we  should  see  Mr.  Tembo  out  here," 
I  suggested. 

"  Only  comes  out  at  night,"  said  Cuninghame. 

The  trail  grew  dim  and  almost  impossible  to  follow, 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  305 

owing  to  the  fact  that  the  short  tough  grass  sprmgs 
back  so  quickly.  Soon  we  lost  it  entirely,  and  sat 
down  atop  anthills  while  the  Wanderobo  scattered  out 
to  look.  A  smart  shower  drenched  us  and  passed  on. 
Kenia,  behind  us  to  the  east,  was  lost  in  a  mist  that 
swept  the  tops  of  the  gloomy  forest,  but  before  us  we 
could  see  down  over  the  wide  country  near  Olbolosset 
and  Rumeruti,  where  we  safaried  three  years  ago.  We 
figured  out  we  were  just  about  sitting  on  the  equator! 

We  stayed  here  some  time.  Then  from  around  the 
corner  of  a  big  forest  patch  the  youngest  Wanderobo 
appeared.     He  was  running,  so  we  wxnt  to  meet  him. 

"He  says  they  have  seen  the  elephant,"  Kongoni 
translated. 

We  hurried  on  after  him,  descending  the  long  grassy 
slope  skirting  the  edge  of  the  forest.  At  the  end  of  a 
mile  we  came  on  all  the  rest  of  the  Wanderobo  humped 
do\vn  behind  a  single  thin  bush,  their  blankets  wrapped 
around  them  and  their  necks  outstretched  like  a  lot  of 
very  eager  mud  turtles.  About  half  a  mile  away, 
walking  nonchalantly  about  in  the  short  grass,  was  the 
elephant,  his  tusks  gleaming  against  the  dark  back- 
ground of  the  forest. 

Cuninghame,  Kongoni,  and  I  darted  forward.  The 
elephant  was  walking  steadily  to  the  left;  and  we,  under 
cover  of  small  clumps,  were  hurrying  toward  him  as 
fast  as  we  could  in  the  hope  of  reaching  him  before  he 
reentered  the  forest.     In  this  we  failed,  for  when  we 


3o6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

were  within  200  yards  he  swung  sharp  to  the  right, 
pushed  aside  the  screen  of  leaves,  and  disappeared. 

We  approached  circumspectly.  He  might  continue 
on  directly  into  the  forest;  or,  again,  he  might  turn 
around  and  come  out  again.  We  glided  silently  along 
the  fringe,  peering  with  all  our  mights.  Suddenly 
Kongoni  motioned  us  forward.  Through  a  little  open- 
ing in  the  leaves  we  saw  the  top  of  his  back,  twenty- 
five  yards  away.  As  we  looked,  he  swung  slowly 
and  faded  into  the  forest. 

Now  we  at  least  knew  definitely  which  way  he  was 
going.  As  quickly  as  we  could  we  made  our  way  to 
where  we  had  last  seen  him.  This  was  no  easy  job,  for 
the  cover  was  almost  impenetrable.  In  order  to  get  on 
noiselessly,  we  had  to  lift  separately  each  branch  and 
twig,  to  push  individually  each  clump  of  leaves  or  in- 
terlacement of  switches.  We  had  to  duck  and  squirm 
and  twist  and  push  very  gently.  A  single  sharply 
broken  stick  would  serve  to  give  him  the  alarm,  in 
which  case  he  would  either  make  off  and  we  would  not 
see  him  again,  or — more  likely — he  would  look  us  up, 
in  which  case  we  would  see  more  of  him  than  we  wanted. 

In  spite  of  the  thickness  of  the  growth  the  elephant 
himself  went  silently  through  it.  That  phenomenon — 
the  stillness  of  an  elephant's  leisurely  progression — is 
hard  to  get  accustomed  to.  He  will  brush  through 
thickets  so  dense  that  the  branches  make  an  apparently 
impenetrable  screen  and  the  closest  listening  will  hardly 


TYPICAL   ELEPHANT   C0\:ER 


CAMP    IN    THE    FOREST    AFTER    THE    ELEPHANT    KILL.       MEAT   DRYING 


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CARRYING    OUT    THE    IVORY 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  307 

be  able  to  determine  the  fact  that  he  is  there  at  all. 
His  great  weight  and  the  size  of  his  foot  breaks  in- 
stantaneously anything  beneath  them  and  crushes  the 
sound;  his  vast  bulk  and  length  and  the  soft  leathery 
quality  of  his  skin  probably  push  aside  gently  and 
muffle  the  harshness  of  the  branches.  However  it  is, 
only  twice  did  we  hear  the  faintest  indication  that  the 
elephant  was  still  moving;  and  we  ourselves,  as  I  have 
said,  were  having  the  greatest  trouble  to  work  our  way 
along  at  all.  The  whiplike  branches  of  the  thicket 
sprang  back  after  the  beast,  leaving  the  screen  as  re- 
sistant as  ever.     Also  we  could  not  see  ten  feet. 

The  trail  led  us  straight  ahead,  then  doubled  back  at 
a  sharp  angle,  so  that  at  one  time  the  elephant  must 
have  been  passing  us  a  short  distance  to  the  right.  We 
crept  on  for  perhaps  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  expecting  every 
moment  we  might  run  against  his  hind  leg.  Then 
through  a  chance  opening  just  ahead  we  saw  the  wav- 
ing of  his  ears.  So  close  was  he  that  we  were  looking 
up  at  him  as  one  looks  up  at  a  skyscraper.  I  held  for 
his  brain  and  pulled  trigger.  Down  he  came  with  a 
tremendous  crash.  The  distance  was  just  twelve 
paces. 

After  waiting  to  see  that  he  was  not  going  to  move  we 
lifted  our  voices  in  a  cheer  that  was  immediately 
answered  by  the  Wanderobo,  who  had  been  following 
a  short  distance  behind.  They  came  up,  and,  shortly 
after,  our  men.     We  got  out  the  little  flask,  and,  stand- 


3o8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

ing  either  side  the  great  beast,  we  took  a  drink  "across 
the  bar. "  Next  we  measured  him.  He  stood  ten  feet 
seven  inches  at  the  shoulder  (just  the  height  of  Jumbo: 
the  Indian  elephant  stands  about  eight  feet) ;  seventeen 
feet  six  inches  "waist  measure";  eighteen  feet  one  inch 
long  counting  the  trunk.  His  forefoot  was  fifty-four 
inches  around;  and  his  hind  foot  fifty-one  inches.  His 
tusks  weighed  fifty-six  pounds  and  fifty- five  and  three 
fourth  pounds  respectively.  While  the  men  started 
taxidermal  work  I  made  camp.  It  was  now  4:00  p.  m. 
By  pitch  dark  the  headskin  was  off — no  small  job.  We 
cooked  some  rice.  Some  cedar  wood  gave  us  a  good 
fire.  ThemoonfUtered  through  the  trees.  Thehyraxes 
screeched;  and  some  leopards  and  hyenas,  attracted 
by  the  smell  of  meat,  snarled  and  uttered  their  cries. 

Thermometer,  morning,  64;  night,  54. 

November  8. — We  sent  two  of  the  Wanderobo  back 
to  camp  with  instructions  to  bring  on  all  the  men  and 
certain  supplies.  They  returned  with  them  by  dark 
— a  tremendous  round  trip.  All  day  we  did  taxidermy. 
With  the  exception  of  a  light  shower  after  lunch  the 
day  was  fine.  Here  near  the  edge  of  the  forest  is  much 
more  life  than  in  the  depths;  and  the  singing  of  birds 
was  a  delight.  AH  day  we  kept  a  piece  of  elephant 
trunk  simmering,  and  at  evening  we  had  elephant 
trunk  soup  with  rice.  It  is  a  very  strong,  nutritious 
brew  with  a  marked  flavour  of  its  own,  and  I  rather 
like  it. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  309 

November  9. — A  fine  sunny  day.  About  nine  o  'clock 
a  very  ancient  Wanderobo  came  in.  He  looked  to  be 
a  hundred  years  old,  his  skin  wrinkled,  his  joints  big, 
his  flesh  all  wasted  away  to  the  bones,  his  frame  bent, 
his  face  monkey-like  and  wizened,  his  eyes  dim  and 
peering.  I  have  never  seen  so  aged  a  man  afoot  and 
going.  The  old  chief  of  the  Wasonzi  looked  as  old ;  but, 
it  will  be  remembered,  he  was  only  capable  of  sitting  in 
the  sun.  Nevertheless,  this  old  boy  came  in  quite 
briskly,  and  without  greeting  or  pause  set  to  work  in  a 
most  businesslike  way.  He  had  on  a  hyrax-skin  cap 
and  a  skin  cloak  and  carried  a  skin  wallet  and  one 
of  the  soft  iron  sword-knives.  At  once  he  attacked 
that  elephant,  slowly  and  laboriously  sawing  off  great 
chunks  of  meat  and  dragging  them  to  a  pile  beneath  a 
tree.  He  was  entirely  businesslike  and  paid  no  at- 
tention to  anybody.  Cuninghame  watched  him  a 
while,  and  then  in  pity  lent  him  a  sharp  knife.  The 
old  man  took  it,  handed  Cuninghame  his  old  sword, 
and  by  signs  commanded  the  latter  to  sharpen  it! 
Cuninghame  meekly  obeyed!  Hour  after  hour  the  old 
boy  delved  away  at  that  gigantic  carcase,  picking  out 
the  choice  bits — from  a  shetizi  point  of  view.  It  was 
cruel,  hard  work — for  anybody — and  we  fully  expected 
to  see  him  give  out  from  sheer  exhaustion.  But 
about  three  or  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  other 
shenzis  began  to  show  up.  There  was  enough  for 
everybody,  but  the  enterprising  ancient  had  all  the 


3IO  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

best  bits !  They  all  made  camp  right  next  the  carcase. 
Our  men  constructed  racks  on  which  they  laid  strips 
of  meat  and  beneath  which  they  built  fires.  Several 
of  the  Kavirondos  stripped  and  sat  humped  over  the 
blaze  while  friends  carefully  greased  them  from  top  to 
toe  with  elephant  fat. 

November  lo. — Our  job  finished,  we  got  up  very 
early  and  prepared  to  move.  All  the  shenzis  were 
sleeping  the  sleep  of  the  stuffed — all  but  the  very  aged 
man.  He  was  up  bright  and  early,  keen  to  capture 
any  stray  tin  cans.  As  soon  as  we  were  packed  up,  he 
appropriated  the  best  of  our  camp-sites  and  meat- 
racks.  He  was  certainly  an  enterprising  old  person, 
paying  attention  to  nothing  or  nobody  that  had  not  to 
do  with  the  business  in  hand.  He  would  probably  live 
right  there  until  his  hoard  of  meat — which  he  would 
dry — would  be  quite  gone.  Poor  old  chap!  This  was 
undoubtedly  his  last  raid. 

We  marched  back  out  of  the  forest,  and  along  the 
spoor  by  which  we  had  come  in.  Many  more  Wander- 
obo  were  hastening  in  to  the  meat.  I  do  not  suppose 
a  single  ounce  of  that  great  carcase  would  be  wasted! 
The  morning  was  clear,  and  Mt.  Kenia  with  its  bold 
crags  and  glittering  snows  was  for  once  visible  in  its 
entirety.  It  is  a  marvellous  mountain,  but  we  had  not 
long  to  enjoy  it,  for  soon  it  began  to  gather,  a  wisp  at 
a  time,  the  thick  mantle  with  which  it  daily  enshrouds 
itself. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  311 

Enjoyed  the  walk  through  the  forest  very  much;  for 
now,  for  the  first  time,  we  could  look  about  us  with  free 
minds,  unhampered  by  the  necessity  of  searching  for 
spoor,  moving  noiselessly,  etc. 

Near  the  outer  edge  we  met  a  number  of  savages, 
very  gorgeous  savages,  sent  by  Kurioki.  They  were 
leading  two  sheep,  presents  from  his  majesty.  They 
had  only  one  petition,  namely,  that  we  should  kill  one  of 
them  on  the  spot  and  return  the  entrails  to  the  messen- 
gers. With  some  of  the  internal  organs  they  would 
then  make  medicine  to  keep  the  elephants  away  from 
the  crops.  To  this,  of  course,  we  assented;  and  sat 
down  to  await  the  completion  of  the  ceremony.  It 
began  to  rain  in  sheets;  but  we  were  used  to  it  by  now, 
and  merely  humped  ourselves  over  to  let  the  water  run 
off.  Then  came  two  shenzis  carrying  a  canvas  chair 
and  the  message  that  Kurioki  himself  was  coming  to 
see  us.  Long  pause,  while  the  rain  rained.  Enter 
Kurioki — a  tall  savage  beyond  middle  age,  without 
much  ornament,  wearing  a  red  blanket,  and  very  lame 
in  the  right  leg.  He  hobbled  up,  seated  himself,  smiled 
amiably,  and  gave  us  the  "double  grip"  of  friendship. 
Lacking  chairs,  we  were  seated  on  two  porters'  loads. 
We  thanked  him  for  the  sheep.  He  waved  his  hand 
airily.  We  asked  him  how  long  he  had  been  lame.  He 
thought  a  while,  said  five  days;  then  corrected  it  to 
three  years.  We  expressed  ourselves  as  pleased  with 
the  way  his  men  had  worked.     He  again  waved  an  airy 


312  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

hand.  We  said  that  if  he  would  send  men  with  us  to 
Fort  Hall  we  would  there  buy  him  a  present  in  return: 
and  requested  him  to  name  it. 

He  thought  a  long  while,  then  told  us  to  send  him 
whatever  we  pleased.  We  urged  him  to  choose.  For 
the  first  time  he  made  a  speech.  Said  he,  in  sub- 
stance : 

"I  have  been  drinking  much  tembo  in  your  honour. 
I  cannot  see  you  plainly,  because  you  go  like  this,"  and 
he  waved  his  hand  slowly  to  and  fro  in  front  of  his  face. 
"I  cannot  now  think  of  anything  that  I  want,  so  you 
will  have  to  send  me  whatever  you  please,"  and  again 
he  smiled  amiably. 

We  left  him  there,  seated  under  the  tree,  the  rain 
streaming  from  his  face. 

The  march  back  to  camp  from  this  point  was  a  hard 
one.  Our  men  were  heavily  loaded,  and  the  hills  so 
slippery  that  we  could  hardly  stand.  Indeed  at  one 
place  I  slid  forty  feet  as  though  on  ice,  without  the 
least  ability  to  check  myself.  After  a  little  over  eight 
hours,  however,  we  arrived  at  the  base  camp,  and 
were  able  to  dry  off.  At  sundown  we  gave  backshish 
to  our  faithful  shenzis.  In  the  moonlight  they  danced 
and  sang  for  an  hour,  then  filed  past  us  and  said  good- 
bye. A  lot  of  Kikuyu  savages  were  in,  sent  by  Kurioki 
to  help  us  carry  our  goods  out  to  railhead.  We  took 
fifteen  of  them,  men  and  women,  and  they  served  us 
very  well.     One  of  them  wanted  Cuninghame  to  take 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  313 

charge  of  two  rupees  for  him,  and  gave  Cuninghame 
the  two  rupees  and  a  potato.  This  potato,  Cuning- 
game  explained,  must  be  returned  with  the  two  rupees. 
It  was  a  sort  of  backhanded  receipt,  or  reminder, 
rather. 

We  marched  out  to  railhead  in  four  rather  long  days. 
At  the  end  of  that  we  sent  back  a  camp-chair,  a  good 
blanket,  and  twenty  rupees  to  Kurioki.  We  gave 
Maragua,  the  efficient  shenzi  head  man,  the  other  camp- 
chair  and  the  opera  hat.  He  then  much  resembled  the 
comic  paper  idea  of  the  cannibal  chief ! 

From  November  15-19  I  spent  in  the  forests  near 
N'joro  looking  for  bongo.  I  had  eight  men  and 
three  Wanderobo  hunters.  Unfortunately  five  white 
men  hunting  colobus  pervaded  the  forest.  No  white 
men  had  been  in  the  district  for  three  years.  The 
Wanderobo  said  that  now  the  bongo  would  depart  for 
points  unknown  and  would  not  be  back  for  four  months. 
That  they  had  departed  proved  to  be  the  case,  so  I  re- 
turned. The  shenzis  gave  me  a  hyrax  robe  because  they 
said  they  were  sorry  that  we  had  had  no  chance.  It  is 
a  beautiful  thing.  On  my  way  back  to  the  station  I 
fired  the  last  shot  in  Africa  at  a  colobus  in  the  top  of  a 
tall  tree,  and  got  him  very  neatly  through  the  neck. 

THE    END 


APPENDICES 

Appendices  are  meant  for  the  seeker  after  special  infor- 
mation; not  for  the  general  reader.  Therefore  the  author 
makes  no  apology  for  the  inclusion  of  the  following  rather 

specialized  material: 

I 

HOW   TO   GET   IN 

Preliminary:  In  the  present  development  of  the  country 
it  is  exceedingly  inadvisable  to  make  up  parties  of  more 
than  two — or  at  most  three — white  men.  The  chief  diffi- 
culty is  transport;  and  the  transport  becomes  most  un- 
wieldy in  the  case  of  large  parties.  These  two  or  three 
white  men  must  reduce  their  supplies  and  equipment  to  a 
minimum.  Every  man  saved  means  so  much  more  time  in 
the  country.  It  is  unnecessary  to  get  a  "white  hunter." 
Such  an  individual  knows  no  more  of  this  particular 
country  than  you  do.  As  to  managing  natives  and  the 
details  of  running  a  safari,  it  would  be  well  for  the  inex- 
perienced first  to  take  a  two  or  three  weeks'  hunt  in  British 
East  Africa  under  professional  auspices  in  order  to  get  the 
hang  of  the  thing. 

Routes :  From  MarseiUies  or  Naples  take  ships  of  either 
the  German  East  African  Line  or  the  Union  Castle  Line 
to  Mombasa.  Thence  by  Uganda  Railroad  to  Kisumu  on 
Victoria  Nyanza.     Thence  by  steamer  to  either  Musoma 

314 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  315 

or  Mwanza.     From  either  of  these  ports  march  inland  by 
either  one  of  the  following  routes: 

(a)  To  WaHoba's,  one  day;  to  Missambi's,  two  days," 
up  the  Mara  River  to  its  junction  with  the  Bologonja, 
three  days;  up  the  Bologonja  to  its  head,  four  days.  You 
are  now  in  the  heart  of  the  game  country.  From  this  point 
you  can  suit  yourself. 

(b)  To  Ikoma,  about  sLx  or  seven  days;  to  Serengetti, 
five  days.  Spend  as  much  time  as  you  please  thereabouts; 
then  to  Olgoss;  thence  four  days  southeast  to  the  Ssale. 
Return  on  a  circle  either  north  or  south. 

On  both  routes  (a)  and  (b)  you  get  plenty  of  game  near 
WaHoba's.  On  route  (a)  it  might  pay  you  to  take  a  side 
trip  south  past  Myeru's  into  the  hills  above  the  Ruwana 
River — a  week,  say. 

Ways  and  Means:  The  only  feasible  scheme  by  which  a 
man  could  stay  long  in  the  country  would  be  this :  In.  the 
first  place,  select  a  small  permanent  safari  of  about  forty 
men.  These  can,  perhaps,  best  be  recruited  at  Nairobi; 
or  possibly  through  Hansing  &  Company  at  Mwanza. 
Forty  men  is  a  maximum  because  they  will  consume  a  load 
of  potio  per  day.  Twenty  of  these  should  be  sufficient  for 
the  white  men's  loads;  two  or  three  gunbearers;  two  or 
three  personal  camp  boys.  The  rest  of  the  men  can  carry 
a  day  to  day  supply  of  potio  and  be  ready  in  case  of  sickness 
and  to  carry  trophies.  Each  man  is  given  five  days'  pro- 
visions before  leaving  the  lake.  Thus  in  your  own  safari 
you  have  provisions  for  nineteen  days.  These  nineteen  days 
are  increased  by  the  fact  that  for  four  days  (or  more  if  you 
stop  en  route  to  shoot)  you  will  be  in  a  settled  country, 


3i6  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

and  so  able  to  buy  as  you  go  along.  At  Mwanza  or  Musoma 
engage  savages  to  carry  the  rest  of  your  potio  supply.  This 
can  be  best  done  through  the  German  ojflacial;  and  to  enhst 
his  support  you  should  have  letters  from  somebody.  These 
savages  you  will  send  forward — in  charge  of  two  of  your 
own  men — with  instructions  to  carry  the  potio  to  a  desig- 
nated point;  there  to  deposit  it,  and  immediately  to  return. 
Somewhere  up  the  Bologonja  on  route  (a),  and  somewhere 
on  the  Serengetti  on  route  (b).  Then  whenever  you  are  in 
permanent  camp  anywhere  in  the  game  country — as  you 
often  will  be — you  can  relay  on  extra  supplies  of  potio  from 
this  central  depot.  All  this  takes  a  bit  of  figuring,  to  be 
sure;  but  it  is  not  fatally  complicated. 

If  you  recruit  at  Nairobi,  I  should  advise  you  to  get  your 
men  through  Newland  Tarlton  &  Company.  Their  small 
recruiting  fee  is  well  worth  while.  If  possible  get  them  to 
include  one  of  the  following  men:  M'ganga,  Memba  Sasa, 
Kongoni,  Maliyabwana,  Sanguiki,  Dolo,  or  Sulimani.  They 
have  all  been  through  this  country,  and  are  intelligent. 

Customs:  Are  lo  per  cent,  on  entering  a  German  port. 
The  duty  on  a  great  many  articles  is  refunded  when  you 
leave  the  country.  You  will  have  to  bond  your  goods 
through  from  Mombasa  in  order  to  avoid  paying  British 
duty  as  well.  You  must  enter  and  depart  from  German 
territory  via  a  customs  house. 

Licenses:  Must  be  procured  in  advance  through  the 
German  consul  at  Mombasa.  This  must  be  arranged  for 
by  correspondence,  as  there  are  many  delays.  Send  to  the 
Foreign  Office — or  whatever  they  call  it — at  Berlin  for 
copies  of  the  latest  regulations. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  317 

Permits  to  bring  native  servants  and  porters  into  German 
territory  must  be  applied  for  in  advance.  Otherwise  you 
will  not  be  able  to  take  them  out  again. 

Maps:  Besides  the  one  in  this  book,  send  for  the  Ikonia 
section  published  in  Berhn.  Do  not  depend  on  it  too  im- 
phcitly — especially  for  water.* 

n 

OUTFIT 

Riding  animals  are  impossible  in  this  country  owing  to 
the  prevalence  of  the  tsetse  fly.  Hammocks  are  equally  im- 
possible because  of  the  necessity  of  reducing  the  number  of 
your  men — a  hammock,  counting  relays,  takes  sixteen  men. 
Therefore  the  whole  journey  must  be  done  afoot.  Since  the 
potio  must  at  present  be  arranged  for  as  outUned  in  Appen- 
dix I,  it  follows  that  a  large  and  unwieldy  safari  is  practi- 
cally impossible.  As  stated,  forty  men  is  the  ideal  number. 
These  can  comfortably  care  for  two  white  men  who  are 
willing  to  get  down  to  absolute  (African)  essentials.  Each 
must  solve  for  himself  the  problem  of  what  he  shall  take; 
but  in  our  own  case,  the  loads  worked  out  as  follows: 

Two  tent  loads,  two  bed  loads  (includes  chairs),  three 
tin  boxes,  one  cook  box  (contains  both  utensils  and  food), 
one  ammunition  box,  eight  chop  boxes  (food,  repair- 
materials,  alum,  trade  goods,  etc.),  one  miscellaneous  load, 
four  boys'  loads;  a  total  of  twenty-two  loads.  The  chop 
boxes  gradually  diminished  in  number ;  the  others  remained 


*The  war  may  change  the  status  on  one  side  or  the  other  of  the  line,  but 
on  reflection  I  have  retained  this  as  it  was  written.  Conditions  of  subsis- 
tence will  not  be  changed;  and  new  regulations  are  easy  to  find  out  about. 


3i8  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

constant.  The  rest  of  the  men  were  none  too  many  to  fill 
in  the  gaps  caused  by  sickness,  to  carry  current  supplies  of 
potio,  to  act  as  guard  over  caches,  and  to  transport  the  few 
trophies  we  could  not  do  without. 

We  figured  a  long  time  on  the  tent  loads,  but  could  not, 
for  African  purposes,  reduce  them  below  fifty  pounds  each. 
This  accounted  for  an  A-tent,  with  fly,  7x9,  made  with 
ground  cloth  sewed  on,  and  built  to  pitch  with  cross  poles 
slipped  inside  a  hem  at  either  side.  A  certain  weight  of 
material  was  necessary  to  withstand  the  sun  and  daily 
handhng  by  natives. 

The  bed  loads  consisted  of  fight  X  cots,  thin  cork 
mattresses,  and  two  blankets.  One  cannot  sleep  on  the 
ground  in  Africa;  and  the  cork  mattress  was  fighter  than 
another  pair  of  blankets  to  go  underneath  one.  With  the 
bed  went  a  skeleton  frame  that  supported  either  a  canvas 
bath  or  a  canvas  wash  basin.  One  cannot  take  cold  baths 
in  the  tropics  without  danger  of  a  congestion;  and  the 
daily  hot  bath  is  a  necessity.  The  folding  camp-chairs 
were  of  the  fightest  make,  but  repaid  their  transportation 
as  they  would  have  done  nowhere  else  but  in  the  tropics. 

In  the  tin  boxes,  besides  our  personal  effects,  we  carried 
the  medicine  supply,  the  knife  stones,  extra  parts  for  rifles, 
five  volumes  each  of  the  handy  "Everyman's  Library," 
writing  materials,  sewing  kit,  our  Stonebridge  folding  candle 
lanterns,  and  maps.  My  own  personal  outfit,  outside  what 
I  wore,  was  as  follows : 

Clothes:  A  soft  camp  hat,  two  bandanas,  one  pair  khaki 
trousers  for  camp,  five  pairs  of  woollen  socks,  one  pair  shoe- 
pac  boots,  one  pair  of  moccasins,  one  waterproof  cape,  two 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  319 

suits  of  pajamas,  two  suits  of  underwear,  one  buckskin 
shirt. 

Personals:  Extra  glasses  and  lenses,  extra  pocket  knife, 
flask  of  brandy  (the  entire  supply!),  notebooks,  pencils, 
fountain  pen,  ink,  toilet  articles,  3A  Graflex  camera,  Goetz 
"Celar"  lens,  Cooke  "Telar"  lens,  films,  extra  rubber  heels, 
steel  tape,  extra  gun  sights,  pipes,  and  tobacco. 

By  way  of  miscellaneous  might  be  listed: 

River  rope,  travelling  block  for  same,  thirty  pounds  of 
alum,  sail  needles  and  twine,  one  dozen  trade  blankets,  ten 
pounds  of  beads,  six  coils  trade  wire,  one  pound  trade  snuiif, 
five  pounds  trade  tobacco,  three  hundred  rupees  in  silver, 
three  dozen  trade  knives,  thermometer,  three  pedometers, 
aneroid,  prismatic  compass,  alarm  watch,  tool  set,  boot 
caulks,  bobbinet  meat  safe  (necessary!),  two  evaporation 
bags,  six  tins  boot  grease  ("Dubbin"),  laundry  soap,  four 
pangas  (native  tools,  swords),  two  axes,  two  hatchets,  gun- 
cleaning  material. 

The  cook  box  contained  three  kettles,  two  fry  pans, 
a  grid,  a  baker,  a  tea  or  coffee  pot,  a  galvanized  bucket 
(necessary  to  heat  water  in  for  baths),  a  kettle,  and  what 
food  was  "going." 

For  ammunition  we  had  400  rounds  for  the  New  Spring- 
field, which  we  both  shot;  100  for  my  .405  Winchester,  and 
50  for  each  of  our  heavy  rifles. 

This  brings  us  to  the  food  list,  which  was  as  follows: 

150  lbs.  flour  60  lbs.  rice 

4  lbs.  baking  powder  lo  lbs.  tea 

50  lbs.  sugar  10  lbs.  salt 

2  vials  crystallose  20  lbs.  oatmeal 


320  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

lo  lbs.  cofifee  lo  tins  golden  syrup 

I  tin  pepper  20  lbs.  lima  beans 

25  lbs.  lard  curry  powder 

4  large  tins  "  dehydro  "  fruits  12  lbs.  prunes 

2  large  tins  "dehydro"  vegetables 

in 

The  most  of  our  shooting  was  strictly  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  food,  and  ingratiating  ourselves  with  the  sultans. 
However,  we  brought  out  a  fair  number  of  most  excellent 
trophies.  For  the  man  technically  interested  in  measure- 
ments, the  following  are  quoted: 


Length 
of   horns 

Spread 
of  horns 

Bohur  reedbuck 

12^ 

Impalla   .... 
Thompson's  gazelle 
Thompson's  gazelle 
Wildebeeste 

i6f 
15I 

30^ 

Sing-sing       .      .      . 
Bushbuck 

33h 
15-1 

28 

Topi 

16  to  18 

Roan  average  rather  small;  lion  are  well  maned;  Roberts' 
gazelle  (where  found)  rather  small;  impalla  very  large;  sing- 
sing  extra  good;  topi  very  large;  wildebeeste  large;  eland 
medium;  Chanler's  reedbuck  good;  bushbuck  extra  good; 
Bohur  reedbuck  wonderful;  Thompson's  gazelle  well  above 
the  old  British  East  Africa  records. 

IV 

By  way  of  recapitulation,  the  new  hunting  country  may 
be  considered  to  extend  from  the  escarpment  above  Lake 
Natron  to  within  a  day's  march  of  Lake  Victoria  Nyanza; 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  321 

and  from  the  mountains  dividing  British  East  Africa  from 
German  East  Africa  south  to  a  point  yet  to  be  determined. 
From  the  escarpment  the  country  rises  through  a  series  of 
low  ranges  and  valleys  to  a  height  of  land  near  Oliondo, 
whence  it  gradually  descends  again  to  the  shores  of  the 
lake.  Twenty  miles  after  leaving  Oliondo  the  plateau 
breaks  into  hills,  or  rather  low  rugged  mountains  with  many 
practicable  passes.  Here  are  the  heights  of  Olgoss,  Lobo, 
etc.  These  low  mountains  run  north  and  south,  sweeping 
at  the  extremities  to  the  westward  to  embrace  in  their 
arms  an  immense  rolling  plain  covered  with  thin  thorn 
forest.  This  plain  is  bounded,  or  rather  marked,  to  the 
west  by  the  ranges  of  Ikorongo  and  Tschamhno:  though  a 
wide  opening  sweeps  unobstructed  through  to  Speke  Gulf. 
These  westerly  mountains  are  rugged  but  traversable; 
generally  volcanic  in  origin.  Near  the  lake  the  character 
of  the  country  changes  to  low  hills  of  alluvial  soil,  whence 
emerge  extraordinary  rock  outcrops. 

In  the  rains  this  country  is  all  well  watered.  That  the 
rains  are  fairly  heavy  is  proved  by  the  size  and  erosion  of 
the  watercourses.  On  the  extreme  east,  and  close  under 
the  high  mountains  that  divide  the  German  from  the 
British  Protectorates,  there  is  abundance  of  flowing  streams; 
but  as  one  progresses  westward  it  is  necessary,  out  of  the 
rains,  to  search  for  springs  or  water  "tanks."  The  Dor- 
odedi,  flowing  past  the  end  of  Oliondo;  the  Bologonja,  to 
the  extreme  north;  and  the  great  Mara  were  the  only  per- 
manent and  flowing  streams  in  all  this  vast  area.  The 
swarms  of  game  undoubtedly  migrate,  following  the  water 
and  feed. 


322  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

In  other  features  of  external  topography:  the  rough  rolling 
country  to  east  of  OHondo  is  covered  with  spiky  thorn 
brush  in  which  occasional  lowland  stretches  and  openings 
permit  small  grass  plots;  between  Ohondo  and  Olgoss  is 
mixed  cover,  open  grass,  however,  predominating;  between 
Olgoss  and  Ikorongo  is  the  rolling,  alternate  park  and 
thinly  wooded  country  described  as  visited  in  August  and 
September;  near  the  lake  is  a  thin  thorn  tree  alternating 
with  open  or  cultivated  stretches.  After  leaving  the  high- 
est boundary  mountains  there  is  Httle  real  forest  or  jungle. 
An  occasional  patch  near  headwaters  of  some  creek,  around 
some  spring;  or  along  the  course  of  flowing  water  is  about 
aU. 

The  country  is  sparsely  inhabited  by  the  Wasonzi — 
three  villages  to  be  exact — on  the  bench  above  Lake  Na- 
tron. Then  follows  a  long  stretch  without  population 
until  we  reach  the  Ungruimi  in  the  Ikorongo  mountains. 
From  there  to  the  lake  is  a  numerous  and  prosperous  peo- 
ple of  several  tribes.  South  of  the  big  plains  dweU  the 
Wakoma — a  scanty  and  miserable  tribe,  dwelling  in  a  dry 
and  unproductive  desert.  North  of  the  Mara  sleeping  sick- 
ness is  prevalent  and  very  fatal. 

V 

ZOOLOGICAL 

The  following  species  of  big  game  were  actually  deter- 
mined by  us.  Undoubtedly  several  others  could  be  added 
to  the  list  by  one  who  could  take  time — as  we  could  not— 
to  hunt  more  thoroughly,  especially  in  out  of  the  way 
places  and  for  very  localized  species.     To  the  reader  de- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  2>^^ 

siring  most  complete  descriptions,  accounts  of  habits, 
distribution,  etc.,  I  would  recommend  the  "  Life  Histories 
of  African  Animals,"  by  Roosevelt  and  Heller.  The  notes 
appended  to  the  species  in  the  following  hst  must  be  con- 
sidered only  as  supplemental  to  the  information  to  be 
obtained  from  the  above  volume. 

I.  The  Lion  (Jelis  leo). — The  lion  seems  not  to  occur  or 
to  be  very  unusual  in  the  Wasonzi  bench;  although  the 
Wasonzi  report  him  as  very  numerous  on  the  plains  or 
high  plateaus  of  Ssale  just  south.  From  Oliondo  to  Wal 
ioba's  country  I  should  consider  them  about  normally 
abundant;  in  other  words,  they  can  be  heard  every  night, 
and  occasionally  one  can  be  seen.  The  country  is  a  diffi- 
cult one  in  which  to  hunt  them,  owing  to  the  continuity  of 
the  cover;  but  from  a  permanent  camp  a  man  should  be 
fairly  sure  of  his  quarry.  The  male  Uons  I  saw  in  this 
country  carried  very  fine  manes.  This  seems  to  me  a 
little  remarkable,  both  because  of  the  heat  and  the  thorny 
nature  of  the  bush.  Theoretically,  heavy  manes  should 
occur  in  high,  cold  altitudes  and  open  country.  Thorns 
have  always  been  considered  an  important  reason  why  the 
mane  of  a  wild  lion  is  less  thick  and  heavy  than  that  of 
menagerie  specimens.  Since  the  journal  that  makes  the 
body  of  this  book  has  been  put  into  type,  I  have  received  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Leshe  Simpson,  who  went  into  the  New 
Country  on  my  advice  and  information.  He  swung  down 
to  the  Serengetti,  which  he  reports  an  open  grass  plain  with 
many  ravines  and  small  stony  hills.  An  abundance  of 
game  makes  this  an  ideal  habitat  for  lions;  and  in  fact  he 
reports  an  abundance  of  them  there.     He  also  remarks  on 


324  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  fine  quality  of  the  manes.  Roosevelt  and  Heller  in- 
stance as  a  remarkable  thing  that  once  in  the  Lordo  they 
heard  a  lion  roar  after  sunrise.  In  this  New  Country  lions 
very  often  roared  up  to  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  As  a 
general  thing,  of  course,  lions  roar  at  night.  But  these 
beasts  refuse  to  be  bound  by  rules.  I  once  saw  three  of  them 
eating  a  decomposed  waterbuck  just  at  noon  of  a  hot  day! 
It  is  curious  that  lions  seem  to  vary  little  in  numbers  in 
one  part  of  the  country  or  another.  Of  course  I  cannot 
even  guess  at  the  probable  lion  population  per  square 
mile.  In  an  un visited  country  where  no  Uons  are  ever 
touched,  the  average  density  seems  to  be  no  greater  than 
in  comparatively  civilized  districts  where  a  hundred  or 
so  are  killed  per  year.  At  first  blush  it  would  seem  only 
reasonable  that  in  the  former  conditions  they  should  fairly 
overrun  the  whole  place;  but  this  is  not  so.  Whether  the 
numbers  are  constantly  recruited  by  immigration,  or 
whether,  as  at  present  seems  to  me  more  likely,  the  birth 
rate  varies  according  to  conditions,  it  is  of  course  impossible 
to  say. 

2.  Leopard  {felis  pardus). — Very  generally  distributed 
in  about  the  usual  abundance.  We  heard  them  in  every 
part  of  the  country. 

3.  Cheetah  {achionyxjuhatus). — In  the  covered  country 
we  saw  none  of  these  animals,  though  they  may  well  occur. 
Only  west  of  Ikorongo  did  we  begin  to  come  across  them 
in  or  near  the  small  open  plains. 

4.  Spotted  Hyena  {cr acuta  crocuta  germinans). — Com- 
mon everywhere.     Heard  practically  every  night. 

5.  Wild  Dog  {lycaon  pictus  lupinus). — Saw  one  near 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  325 

Olgoss;  and  heard  packs  hunting  east  of  that  mountain. 
Did  not  see  signs  of  any  to  the  westward. 

[East  African  Bush  Pig — potamochoerus  koiropotamus 
daemonis — probably  occurs.] 

6.  Warthog  {phacochoerus  africanus  aeliani) . — Not  com- 
mon; but  everj-where  to  be  found.  Some  unfavourable 
conditions  must  prevent  their  increase. 

7.  Hippopotamus  {hippotamus  amphibius  amphihius). — 
We  found  the  banks  of  the  Mara  River  tramped  with  many 
hard,  smooth  trails,  showing  that  these  animals  are  at  some 
times  of  the  year  very  abundant  in  the  upper  reaches.  At  the 
time  of  our  visit,  however,  there  were  none.  Cuninghame 
saw  two  near  Ikorongo;  but  the  hippo  population  had  evi- 
dently descended  the  river  either  to  the  Masirori  swamp  or 
to  Victoria  Nyanza.     Abundant  in  the  lake. 

8.  Masai  Giraffe  (giraffa  camelopardalis  tippelskircki). — 
Fairly  common  everywhere;  and  in  good-sized  herds  in 
the  thin  scrub  forest  south  of  the  Bologonja.  Wary  in  the 
uninhabited  regions.  Exceedingly  tame  in  the  Masai  coun- 
try, where  the  continued  presence  of  native  herders  ac- 
customs it  to  man. 

9.  Roan  Antelope  (egoceros  equinus). — From  Olgoss 
westward  to  the  west  slopes  of  Ikorongo  we  found  this 
animal  common.  That  is,  common  for  roan.  The  sports- 
man would  have  no  difficulty  in  getting  trophies.  They 
seem  to  prefer  scant  scrub  cover.  We  saw  none  in  the 
open  country.     The  horns  run  rather  small. 

[Sable — egoceros  niger — reported  by  natives  as  occurring 
directly  to  southward  and  about  ten  days'  march.  To  be 
investigated.] 


326  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

10.  Fringe-eared  Oryx  {oryx  beisa  callotis). — In  the 
Lake  Natron  region;  none  after  climbing  the  escarpment  to 
the  upper  plateau. 

11.  Topi  {damaliscus  korrigum  jimela). — Occurs  spar- 
ingly near  Olgoss;  in  great  abundance  westward  as  far  as 
Walioba's;  then  is  scarce  to  within  sight  of  the  lake.  By 
far  the  most  numerous  antelope  in  the  New  Country. 
Frequents  the  thin  cover  extensively,  where,  even  at  close 
range,  its  ordinarily  advertising  coloration  makes  it  almost 
invisible  (see  later  discussion).  In  our  experience  the 
tamest  of  all  game,  and  possessed  of  the  most  curiosity. 
These  traits,  added  to  its  abundance,  make  it  the  mainstay 
of  the  commissariat.  The  topi  is  the  animal  most  readily 
"held"  by  a  fluttering  bit  of  white  cloth.  We  thought  we 
saw  more  twins  of  this  species  than  of  any  other. 

12.  Wildebeeste  or  gnu  {gorgon  alhojubatus  mearnsi). — 
Very  abundant  everywhere.  Vary  greatly  in  colour.  I 
have  a  skin  that  is  nearly  jet  black,  and  one  that  is  clear 
brown,  both  from  the  same  locality.  The  horns  of  three  spec- 
imens now  at  hand  do  not  curve  downward  below  level  of 
orbit.  In  spread  they  run  rather  large.  In  this  country, 
contrary  to  Roosevelt's  experience  farther  north,  they 
frequented  thin  scrub  freely,  and  often  ventured  into  what 
might  be  called  fairly  thick  cover.  In  fact,  except  at 
evening  grazing  hours,  they  seemed  more  to  shun  the  grass 
openings.  They  are  exceedingly  swift,  yet,  as  elsewhere 
detailed,  natives  run  them  down. 

13.  Coke's  Hartebeeste  {bubalis  cokei). — Both  Cun- 
inghame  and  myself  are  a  little  doubtful  as  to  which  of 
the  subspecies — nakurti  or  kongoni — this  animal  should  be 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  327 

referred.  If  to  kongoni,  then  possibly  the  other,  smaller 
variety,  will  be  nakuru,  although  its  description  and  hab- 
itat do  not  square  with  the  books.  If  nakuru,  then  the 
smaller  variety  must  be  undescribed.  While  in  the  country 
itself  we  always  considered  the  larger,  red  tame  species  as 
the  kongoni,  and  the  smaller  as  Neumann;  but  according 
to  later  classifications  this  seems  impossible.  For  con- 
venience I  shall  refer  to  this  animal  as  Coke's. 

It  is  common  from  01  Sambu  (above  Lake  Natron)  to 
the  Mara  River,  but  not  nearly  as  abundant  as  the  topi, 
thus  reversing  the  condition  on  the  Loieta  Plains.  Gre- 
garious, curious,  tame — the  typical  "kongoni"  of  British 
East  Africa  in  habit,  except  that  here  it  frequents  brush 
and  shade  freely,  and  may  often  be  found  in  what  might 
almost  be  described  as  thickets.  In  that  respect  our  ob- 
servations and  those  of  the  Frenchman,  Vaase,  stand  to- 
gether, and  practically  alone. 

Roosevelt's  remarkably  complete  and  interesting  account 
of  the  habits  of  these  hartebeeste  fails  to  mention  their 
apparent  altruism  in  warning  other  animals  of  danger.  Of 
course  the  exact  mental  attitude  remains  to  be  proved, 
but  the  fact  is  that  on  several  occasions  I  have  seen  harte- 
beeste that  were  not  in  danger  themselves  come  deHberately 
into  danger  in  order  to  carry  off  herds  of  zebra,  wilde- 
beeste  or  other  hartebeeste  that  were  in  the  line  of  a  stalk. 
Both  Cuninghame  and  myself  observed  this  several  times. 
Generally  it  seemed  to  be  one  or  two  individuals  that  thus 
took  the  job,  and  not  a  group. 

14. Hartebeeste    {biibalis    cokei    {?]). — Beside    the 

large  red  kongoni  with  the  points  of  the  horns  slightly 


328  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

diverging  or  parallel  is  a  smaller  species.  This  differs  in 
being  two  thirds  the  size  of  his  larger  relative;  in  being  of 
lighter  buff  colour;  in  lighter  colour  underneath,  so  that  at  a 
distance  it  has  the  appearance  of  being  on  stilts;  in  appar- 
ently a  proportionately  longer  frontal  bone  from  eyes  to  base 
of  horns;  in  the  fact  that  the  points  of  the  horns  turn  sharply 
toward  each  other;  and  especially  in  habit.  They  go  in 
small  groups  of  from  three  to  not  more  than  a  dozen  in- 
dividuals; are  always  extraordinarily  shy;  and  do  not  seem 
to  care  to  mingle  with  other  game.  On  two  or  three  occa- 
sions we  saw  them  with  the  larger  hartebeeste,  when  they 
were  readily  distinguished  at  a  distance.  We  shot  one  or 
two  we  thought  were  hybrids.  The  species  is  nowhere 
numerous,  but  always  present  in  its  habitat.  It  extends 
farther  west  than  does  the  larger  form.  We  found  it  on 
the  hills  above  Speke  Gulf. 

15.  East  African  Buffalo  (syncerus  coffer  radcliffei). — 
Found  everjrwhere  between  Olgoss  and  the  lake,  but  no- 
where in  numbers.  Widely  migratory.  We  found  indi- 
cations of  many  more  than  we  came  into  touch  with — old 
tracks  and  signs.  They  probably  follow  the  grass  about. 
No  large  herds.  Perhaps  have  not  yet  as  fully  recovered 
from  the  rinderpest  as  have  the  British  Protectorate 
buffalo. 

16.  Bushbuck  {tragelaphus  scriptus  delamerei). — Com- 
mon in  suitable  localities.  Though  it  is  true,  as  Roosevelt 
and  Heller  say,  that  "bushbucks  are  soUtary  creatures;  a 
buck  and  doe,  or  a  doe  and  fawn,  may  be  together,  but 
generally  we  found  them  singly,"  nevertheless  I  have  seen 
bucks  together,  feeding  in  the  open,  at  the  edge  of  thickets. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  329 

17.  Sitatunga  {limnotragus  spekei). — In  the  Masirori 
swamp. 

18.  Lesser  Kudu  (ammelaphus  imberhis  australis). — 
In  the  region  near  Lake  Natron. 

19.  Greater  Kudu  {strepsiceros  strepsiceros  bea). — (a) 
Below  the  escarpment  northwest  of  Lake  Natron  about 
15  to  20  miles;  (b)  in  the  hills  between  the  Narossara  and 
the  boundary;  (c)  near  the  Bologonja  River. 

20.  Bongo  {boocercus  euryceriis  isaaci). — In  the  forests 
south  of  the  Narossara  near  Seudeu's  boma. 

21.  Eland  {taiirotragus  oryx  p alter sonianiis). — Common 
as  far  west  as  the  Mara  River  and  Ikorongo.  Saw  none 
west  of  that  point;  but  may  occur.     No  reason  why  not. 

2  2 .  Chanler  's  Reedbuck  {oreodorcasfulvorufula  chanlerii) . 
— Very  conmion  on  suitable  hiUs  as  far  west  as  the  Mara. 
I  have  seen  groups  of  four  to  a  dozen  buck,  apparently 
in  company,  at  least  they  gave  the  appearance  of  a  loose 
sort  of  herd.  However,  they  may  have  been  gathered 
merely  because  of  some  condition  of  feed. 

23.  Ward's  Reedbuck  {redunca  redunca  wardi). — Com- 
mon from  Oliondo  west. 

24.  Sing-sing  (kobus  defassa  raineyi  [.?]). — According 
to  the  books  this  animal  should  be  referred  to  the  above 
subspecies,  nevertheless  the  animals  we  shot  differ  from 
the  description  in  some  particulars,  notably  in  average 
horn  lengths.  "The  horns  of  large  bucks  are  seldom 
more  than  25  inches  in  length."  I  should  say  that  the 
average  of  adults  I  saw  and  shot  would  run  somewhere 
about  28  inches.  Common  from  Olgoss  westward.  The 
common  waterbuck  has  been  reported  "as  far  west  as 


330  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Ikoma."     We  saw  none.     These  beasts  decoy  readily  by 
fluttering  white  flags. 

25.  Uganda  Cob  (adenota  kob  thomasi) .—This  animal 
is  reported  in  a  small  German  handbook  from  the  east 
shores  of  the  lake  and  the  country  adjoining.  Perhaps  on 
this  authority  (?)  Roosevelt  and  Heller  include  that  country 
in  their  distribution  map.  We  looked  into  this  matter 
thoroughly,  and  are  fairly  certain  cob  are  not  to  be  found 
there.  The  native  name  for  both  cob  and  impalla  is 
sumu,  which  may  have  caused  the  confusion.  A  small 
herd  is  to  be  found  in  Kavirondo  near  Klibigori.  Here, 
probably  due  to  the  presence  of  vast  numbers  of  natives, 
the  cob  has  abandoned  his  usual  habits  and  seeks  thick 
cover. 

26.  Duiker  {sylvicapra  grimmia). — Not  common;  but 
widely  distributed.  Whether  subspecie  hindei  or  nyansae 
I  do  not  know. 

27.  Oribi  (ourebia  montana  coUoni). — Common  every- 
where. Roosevelt's  and  Heller's  distribution  map — 
p. 563 — should  be  extended  eastward  to  the  heights  above 
Lake  Natron. 

28.  Steinbuck  (raphicerus  campestris  neumani). — Com- 
mon in  suitable  cover  everywhere.  In  seeking  to  hide  they 
often  fold  their  ea.rs  forward  or  back,  creasing  them  in  the 
middle,  like  a  spaniel. 

29.  Klipspringer  (oreotragus  oreotragus  schillingsi) . — 
Common  in  suitable  locaUties.  On  the  rolling  plains, 
where  there  are  no  hills  within  a  good  many  miles,  I  found 
these  animals  in  deeply  eroded  creek  beds  filled  with  bould- 
ers.    The  boulders  apparently  gave  them  the  illusion  of 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  331 

rocky  side  hills;  and  the  little  animals  leaped  from  one  rock 
to  the  other  entirely  satisfied. 

30.  Roberts'  gazelle  (gazella  gtanti  rohertsi). — Quite 
common  between  Oliondo  and  Olgoss.  Cuninghame  re- 
ports it  around  Ikoma.  None  at  all  in  the  immense  game 
herds  south  of  the  Bologonja. 

31.  Thomson  gazelle  {gazella  thomsoni). — Nowhere 
abundant,  and  apparently  very  local.  Many  sections  well 
adapted  to  "Tommies"  are  quite  devoid  of  them.  Never- 
theless saw  specimens  as  far  west  as  Walioba's  and  as  far 
east  as  the  plateau  above  N'digadigu.  It  would  be  in- 
teresting to  know  why  there  are  not  more  gazelles  in  this 
country.  Carry  very  large  heads.  I  am  doubtful  of  the 
new  subspecies  nasalis.  I  have  two  heads  from  the  region 
of  its  habitat,  neither  of  which  possess  the  alleged  dis- 
tinguishing black  patch  across  the  nose. 

32.  Impalla  {aepyceros  melampus  suara). — Common. 
Carry  very  large  heads. 

33.  Dik-dik  {rhynchotragus  kirki  cavendishi). — We  found 
this  animal  very  local  in  its  distribution. 

34.  Rhinoceros  {disceros  bicornis  hicornis). — Common 
in  the  mountains  between  the  two  protectorates,  where 
their  trails  helped  us  greatly;  but  unusually  scarce  in  the 
new  country.  They  have  been  much  hunted  there  by 
Wandcrobo,  who  take  their  horns. 

35.  Zebra  {equus  quagga  granti). — Common  everywhere; 
but  not  so  common  as  the  topi  or  wildebeeste.  Seem  in  this 
country  rather  to  prefer  cover  to  the  open  plains.  They 
are  there  practically  invisible  (see  discussion  elsewhere). 

36.  Elephant    iloxodonla    africana    capensis). — In    the 


332  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Masirori  Swamp,  where  they  stick  until  driven  out  by  floods. 
We  saw  much  sign  of  them  around  the  edges.  Inaccessi- 
ble except  at  flood  times. 

To  the  above  "game"  animals  may  be  added  the  follow- 
ing large  species: 

37.  Crocodile. — Mara   River  and   Victoria  Nyanza. 

38.  Ostrich. 

39.  Jackal. 

40.  Serval. 

VI 

I  shot  again  the  new  Springfield  rifle,  using  the  spitzer 
pointed  bullet  of  165  gr.  and  172  gr.  weight.  Some  of  these 
had  been  exposed  to  tropical  conditions  for  three  years,  but 
I  could  see  no  deterioration.  Their  performance  was  uni- 
form and  very  deadly.  The  same  could  not  be  said  of  the 
150  gr.  service  bullet,  forty  rounds  of  which  I  used  as  a  trial. 
Their  action  was  too  erratic,  as  a  certain  proportion  of  them 
showed  a  tendency  to  dive  outrageously.  In  my  opinion 
the  172  gr.  U.  M.  C.  bullet  is  an  ideal  hunting  cartridge;  as 
was  also  the  Winchester  165  gr.  The  latter,  unfortunately, 
is  no  longer  manufactured.  An  analysis  of  the  work  done 
by  this  weapon  results  as  follows : 

Shots  fired   .     ,     .     .     260        Animals  shot  at       .     .     161 

Hits 199        Animals  missed        .      .       26 

Misses 61        Animals  killed   .     .     .     135 

Of  the  above  135  animals  killed  with  this  rifle,  98  went 
down  to  one  shot  each.  The  longest  range  was  421  yards; 
the  average  for  antelope,  196  yards.  These  measurements 
were  all  paced. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  333 

For  a  second  gun  I  used,  as  before,  the  .405  Winchester. 
It  is  light,  handy,  and  delivers  a  very  hard  blow  at  close 
ranges.  Beyond  150  yards,  however,  it  loses  velocity  too 
fast  to  make  it  of  the  first  use.  It  is  a  good  brush  gun,  and 
has  always  done  me  well  with  lions.     Its  record  was: 

Shots  fired   ....       33         Animals  shot  at      .      .       14 

Hits         29        Animals  killed   ...       14 

Misses 4 

In  the  case  of  the  four  lions  I  was  forced  to  take  on  at 
once,  I  used  alternately  the  Springfield  and  the  Winchester. 
One  of  these  was  a  bolt  action,  the  other  a  lever  action  arm. 
According  to  those  who  argue  most  vigorously  on  either 
side  of  the  rather  bitter  controversy,  this  alternating  of 
weapons  should  have  confused  me,  or  at  least  caused  me  to 
take  thought.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  did  nothing  of  the 
kind.  I  used  either  with  equal  facility  and  with  equal  un- 
consciousness. My  firm  beHef  is  that  neither  action  has 
the  slightest  advantage  over  the  other  in  practical  work. 

My  third,  reserve,  weapon  was  the  Holland  and  Holland 
.465  cordite.  This  was  useful  only  on  the  very  heaviest 
game.  Except  for  buffalo,  rhinoceros, and  perhaps  elephants, 
I  could  very  well  get  on  without  it. 

vn 

These  paragraphs  are  intended  in  a  suggestive  rather 
than  a  controversial  spirit.  The  author  advances  nothing 
theoretical  that  he  considers  final.  The  facts,  however, 
are  matters  of  careful  observation. 

We  are  all  familiar  with  the  rather  bitter  discussions  into 
which  have  plunged  the  proponents  and  opponents  of  the 


334  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

concealing  coloration  theory.  The  Thayers  elaborated 
this  theory  to  its  last  conclusions  in  a  thick  volume  and  nu- 
merous pamphlets.  Certain  naturalists,  Colonel  Roosevelt 
the  most  conspicuous  among  them,  criticised  the  theory  and 
its  application.  The  ensuing  discussion  reached  its  greatest 
height  between  my  two  African  trips.  Therefore  I  went  on 
this  last  journey  with  all  data  freshly  in  mind.  Both 
Cuninghame  and  myself  were  throughout  the  whole  time  in 
the  field  keenly  alert  to  prove  or  disprove — in  our  own 
minds — the  contentions  of  both  parties.  It  might  further 
be  pointed  out  that  at  the  start  we  were  neither  of  us 
partisan  for  either  side  of  the  discussion;  that  we  are  both, 
in  a  sense,  trained  observers;  and  that  we  had  here  unrivalled 
opportunities  for  studying  tens  of  thousands  of  animals  in 
undisturbed  country.  In  order  to  define  my  position 
clearly  at  the  outset,  I  will  state  that  in  general  I  hold 
with  Colonel  Roosevelt,  and  unqualifiedly  advise  the  reader 
to  peruse  his  chapter  on  this  subject  in  "  Life  Histories  of 
African  Animals."  What  follows  is  intended  merely  to 
call  attention  to  certain  phases.  I  believe  most  of  these 
to  be  of  optical  rather  than  evolutionary  value. 

The  only  points  which  seem  to  me  important  in  Mr. 
Thayer 's  contention  are  these : 

1 .  The  theory  of  counter-shading.  That  is  to  say,  most 
animals  are  coloured  lighter  underneath  than  on  top  in  order 
to  compensate  for  the  shadow  cast  by  the  animal's  body. 
The  net  result  is  supposed  to  be  a  monochrome. 

2.  The  theory  of  night  blending.  A  great  many  beasts 
are  conspicuously  white  somewhere  on  the  upper  body  line. 
The  tails  of  white-tailed  deer  or  prong-horned  antelope  are 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  335 

familiar  examples.  Mr.  Thayer  contends  that  this  white 
tends  to  blend  with  the  night  sky  in  such  a  way  as  to  render 
the  animal  invisible  to  an  observer  placed  close  to  the 
ground.     This  brings  us  to: 

3.  Mr.  Thayer  tries  to  show  that  in  testing  out  these 
theories  we  should  take  the  point  of  view  of  the  animal's 
"natural  enemies,  "  i.  e.:  we  should  crouch  down  to  the  eye- 
level  of  the  lion  or  other  carnivore. 

4.  The  theory  of  broken  coloration.  Mr.  Thayer  main- 
tains that  stripes,  blotches,  and  patterns  are  intended  to 
break  the  mass,  and  that  against  normal  backgrounds  such 
patterns  are  more  invisible  than  a  uniform  mass. 

5.  The  theory  of  imitative  patterns.  That  is,  that 
stripes  of  a  zebra  simulate  reeds;  patterns  on  the  ends  of 
ducks'  breast  feathers  imitate  wave  ripples,  the  blue  jay's 
colour  is  like  shadows  on  snow,  etc.,  etc. 

There  are  various  corollaries  to  these  five  major  theories, 
but  I  feel  no  injustice  is  done  the  argument  by  their  omission, 
because  they  must  necessarily  stand  or  fall  with  the  major 
premises. 

In  order  to  clear  the  decks  for  all  parties  and  both  sides 
of  the  discussion,  it  cannot  be  too  strongly  insisted  that 
no  possible  pattern  or  scheme  of  coloration  is  either  con- 
cealing or  reveahng  at  all  times  and  in  all  circumstances. 
Combinations  of  light  will  conceal  the  most  vivid  and  con- 
spicuous object  in  the  world.  Or,  conversely,  an  exemplary 
— artificial  or  otherwise — of  all  the  principles  of  protective 
coloration  can  be  so  placed — and  in  normal  environment — 
so  that  it  will  show  as  plainly  as  a  flag  in  the  wind.  I  once 
tied  a  brilliant  red  bandana  handkerchief  to  a  bush  for  the 


336  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

purpose  of  guiding  myself  and  packhorse  back  to  a  sheep  I 
had  killed.  It  took  me  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  find  that 
handkerchief,  simply  because  a  queer  combination  of  hght 
and  shade  had  temporarily  made  it  absolutely  invisible. 
And  certainly  if  a  red  bandana  handkerchief  is  concealingly 
coloured,  then  all  objects  in  nature  are  so  coloured.  There- 
fore I  have  scant  patience  with  the  type  of  argument  in 
rebuttal — on  either  side — that  says  in  effect:  "You  say  the 
whiff enpoof  is — or  is  not — protectively  coloured.  Now  the 
other  day  I  was  out,  and  I  saw — or  did  not  see — a  whiffen- 
poof,  etc."  That  sort  of  argument  is  barred.  It  means 
nothing.  We  are  dealing  with  tendencies,  not  hard  and  fast 
invariabilities.  If  protective  coloration  always  worked, 
the  beasts  would  be  always  invisible.  If  we  always  saw 
every  creature,  we  would  come  precious  close  to  om- 
niscience. 

Let  us  now  take  up  in  detail  the  five  items  of  theory,  and 
see  how  much  or  how  little  they  are  borne  out  by  our  own 
observations. 

I.  Countershading.  Considered  as  a  tendency,  as  a 
fact,  among  others,  that  tends  to  render  an  animal  less  con- 
spicuous than  if  he  were  a  monochrome,  I  believe  this  idea 
has  merit.  A  countershaded  object  is  in  most  circum- 
stances less  conspicuous  than  an  object  in  monochrome. 
A  countershaded  animal,  afoot  and  in  normal  circum- 
stances, is  less  easily  picked  out  by  the  eye  than  an  animal 
not  so  countershaded.  In  other  words,  countershading 
tends  not  so  much  to  conceal  an  animal  when  he  is  aware  of 
danger  and  attempting  to  hide*  as  to  cause  him  to  be  over- 
*A  hiding  animal  generally  squats,  thus  concealing  his  light  under  parts. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  337 

looked  in  favour  of  a  more  conspicuous  creature.  Every 
hunter  knows  how  instinctively  he  picks  out  for  his  shot  the 
most  prominent  member  of  a  flock  or  herd.  The  lion,  or 
native  hunter,  seeking  his  victim  in  a  prospect  full  of  game 
takes  the  line  of  least  resistance.  His  eye  falls  on  the  beast 
that  is  most  conspicuous,  and,  other  circumstances  being 
equal,  he  proceeds  with  his  stalk.  The  animals,  or  the 
species,  that  have  not  happened  to  catch  the  eye  first — 
even  if  skilled  scouting  might  discover  them — escape  for  the 
time  being.  That  they  are  overlooked  may  be  due  to  a 
variety  of  circumstances — their  position,  the  cover  they  are 
in,  the  direction  of  the  light,  their  colouring,  etc.  Also 
their  luck!  But  undoubtedly  countershading  often  helps, 
and  helps  materially,  in  causing  individual  animals  or 
species  to  be  overlooked  in  this  first  survey  of  a  well-stocked 
field. 

Logically,  given  sufl&cient  opportunity  for  observation, 
one  should  find,  of  two  species,  one  countershaded  and  the 
other  not,  that  the  former  should  escape  oftener  than  the 
latter.  This  is  sometimes,  but  not  always,  the  case.  In 
some  parts  of  our  hunting  field  where  topi*  and  hartebeestef 
existed  in  fairly  equal  numbers  we  found  many  more  lion 
kills  of  the  former  than  of  the  latter.  Yet  I  think  nobody 
with  field  experience  could  for  a  moment  maintain  that 
the  hartebeeste  is  a  first-rate  example  of  concealing  color- 
ation, or  that  he  is  hard  to  see.  But  I  noted  this,  and  I 
noted  it  many  times  over:  in  a  herd  of  mixed  game,  feeding 
in  the  characteristic  thin  cover  such  game  frequents  when 

*Not  countershaded. 
t  Countershaded. 


338  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

not  disturbed,  my  eye  caught  first  the  topi,  second  the  harte- 
beeste,  and  lastly  the  zebra.  The  reason  for  the  com- 
parative invisibiHty  of  the  latter  belongs  under  a  different 
head. 

In  a  letter  to  me  Colonel  Roosevelt  takes  the  position 
that  if  such  a  tendency  exists,  ''even  to  the  extent  that 
would  represent  the  killing  of  say  a  hundred  topi  by  lions' 
for  every  ninety-nine  hartebeeste.  .  .  .  If  it  exists  in 
the  locahty  you  mention,  the  fact  will  be  proved  by  the 
speedy  extermination  of  the  topi  in  that  locality."  And  he 
calls  to  my  attention  the  indisputable  fact  that  both  beasts 
are  well  known,  possess  equal  fecundity,  equal  wariness,  etc. 
I  am  not  quite  willing  to  admit  this.  The  fecundity  and 
infant  mortality  of  different  animals  in  different  localities 
have  not  yet  been  studied.  That  breeding  is  affected  by 
conditions  is  indisputable.  Before  a  drought  season  Cali- 
fornia quail  will  raise  one  brood — or  none;  in  seasons  of 
plenty  they  may  raise  three  broods.  If  this  is  true,  it  may 
well  be  that  in  a  locality  better  adapted  to  topi  than  to 
kongoni  the  former  may  breed  more  freely  than  the  latter; 
so  freely  as  to  more  than  compensate  for  lion  killing.  It 
seemed  to  me  that,  in  this  new  country,  I  saw  many  more 
young  topi  than  young  kongoni,  and  more  twins  of  the 
former  than  of  the  latter;  but  this  is  only  an  impression. 
Certainly  if  some  such  explanation  is  not  adopted,  it  would 
be  very  difficult  to  account  for  the  fact  that  in  different 
localities  species  practically  aHke  in  habits  differ  so  widely 
in  their  relative  numbers.  On  the  plains  north  of  the  Nar- 
ossara  River  the  kongoni  outnumber  the  topi  by  about  ten 
to  one;  on  the  plains  south  of  the  Mara  River  the  exact 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  339 

reverse  is  the  case.  On  both  plains  there  are,  however, 
plenty  of  both  species.  I  should  say  the  lion  population 
is  about  equally  divided.  The  disparity  of  numbers,  in  my 
mind,  is  not  due  to  lion  killing,  but  to  some  as  yet  unex- 
plained breeding  dissimilarity  due  to  some  as  yet  un- 
described  advantage  or  disadvantage  to  one  or  the  other 
species. 

Of  course  it  may  be  superficially  argued  that  if  this  is 
true,  it  should  also  follow  that  beasts  not  countershaded 
should  be  fewer  in  numbers  than  the  others,  because  more 
of  them  are  killed.  But  this  might,  and  probably  does, 
depend  on  other  factors — how  prolific  are  their  breeding 
habits,  tendency  to  infant  mortality  from  other  causes,  etc., 
etc. 

In  short,  countershading  seems  to  me  to  be  a  principle 
that  on  broad  general  lines  works  out.  It  does  not  always 
work  out,  and  its  possession  would  not  for  a  moment  conceal 
any  individual  from  me — let  alone  a  native  or  a  lion — if  I 
were  looking  for  him.  But  it  might  cause  me  to  pass  him 
by  for  a  more  conspicuous  animal  if  I  were  just  after  meat 
in  general.  That  would  be  a  chance;  and  of  a  great  ag- 
gregation of  chances  is  made  the  fate  or  the  evolution  of 
species,  provided,  of  course,  that  the  theory  of  evolution  or 
survival  is  accepted. 

2.  The  theory  of  night  blending:  This,  as  an  expla- 
nation of  white  tails,  and  generally  white  upper  parts,  seems 
to  me  a  mistake.  Mr.  Thayer's  optical  contention  is  un- 
doubtedly true,  as  it  affects  human  eyes.  A  white  object, 
at  a  reasonable  distance,  is  in  many  circumstances — but  by 
no  means  always — less  visible  at  night  than  a  dark  object. 


340  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

But  only  rarely  is  this  true  at  a  very  short  distance.  Further- 
more, the  application  of  this  optical  principle  to  game  would 
imply  that  an  animal's  enemies  always  approach  and  spring 
exactly  from  the  rear.  This  is  not  true.  As  far  as  I  can 
determine,  the  lion  generally  springs  from  a  point  a  little  to 
one  side,  in  order  to  land  on  the  withers  of  his  victim.  If 
the  white  tail  or  rump  tends  to  conceal  at  the  flurried 
moment  of  escape,  what  of  the  rest  of  the  creature's  outline, 
which  is  dark?  I  place  little  importance  on  the  expla- 
nation that  the  flash  of  white  as  the  beast  leaps  tends  to 
confuse  the  would-be  captor.  It  would  have  to  be  a  very 
stupid  or  inexperienced  preying  animal  indeed.  When  I 
was  young,  the  flash  of  white  in  the  white-tailed  deers' 
rumps  as  they  ran  made  for  me  almost  irresistible  marks  to 
shoot  at.  I  could  hardly  help  taking  them  for  my  target,  and 
in  consequence  shooting  behind.  But  I  got  over  it  very 
soon.  If  I  had  not  done  so,  I  would  not  give  much  for  my 
chances  as  a  hunter.  And  if  a  lion,  or  leopard,  or  weasel,  or 
any  other  rapacious  animal  or  bird  is  seriously  or  often  or  re- 
peatedly confused  by  so  simple  and  constant  a  mechanical 
device  as  a  show  of  white  at  the  moment  of  escape,  then 
there  is  something  the  matter  with  him,  and  he  deserves 
to  die  of  starvation,  as  he  probably  will. 

Another  possible  element  of  doubt  in  this  theory  is  that 
we  are  not  taking  into  account  the  fact  that  the  eyes  of  a 
nocturnal  animal  differ  from  the  human  eye  in  their  ca- 
pacity for  light.  Such  a  beast  "sees  at  night."  It  is 
possible  that  to  him  the  general  appearance  of  things  is 
much  as  it  is  to  us  at,  say,  early  twilight.  So  the  cases  are 
not  quite  on  all  fours.     A  quite  sufficient  explanation  of 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  341 

such  markings  might  well  be  that  they  are  warnings  of 
danger  to  others.  Indeed  they  are  most  prominently  dis- 
played only  when  the  beast  is  in  rapid  motion. 

Concerning  the  top  markings  of  the  skunk:  as  far  as  my 
experience  goes  the  skunk  is  in  no  way  desirous,  either  by 
day  or  night,  of  escaping  observation.  He  and  the  solemn 
porcupine  have  other  reliable  means  of  defence. 

3.  The  theory  that  in  order  adequately  to  test  out  these 
hypotheses  we  should  adopt  the  viewpoint  of  the  preying 
animal  is  an  interesting  one.  Before  we  came  to  a  conclu- 
sion satisfactory  to  ourselves  we  gave  more  attention  to  tliis 
than  to  all  the  other  branches  put  together.  Before  I  left 
on  this  last  trip  Mr.Thayer  very  kindly  sent  me  a  copy  of  a 
pamphlet  wherein,  by  text  and  diagram,  this  was  all  very 
carefully  worked  out.  He  showed  that  in  the  majority  of 
cases  a  man  on  all-fours  or  prone  would  see  the  animal 
against  the  skyline,  while  a  man  erect  would  see  it  against 
a  soUd  background.  He  maintained  that  the  former  was 
the  viewpoint  of  the  beast's  "natural  enemies,"  and  that 
from  that  viewpoint  the  "concealing  coloration"  had  fuller 
effect. 

Now,  in  the  first  place,  I  do  not  quite  see  the  justice  of  ex- 
cluding mankind  from  the  catalogue  of  a  beast's  "natural 
enemies."  Man  has  probably  lived  always  contempo- 
raneously with  the  present  species  of  game;  he  has  always 
caught  them  for  food;  his  success  has  probably  been  as 
great  as  that  of  his  rivals  the  lions,  leopards,  etc.,  that  are 
generally  considered  as  the  only  accepted  "natural  enemies." 
That  his  hunting  has  modified  the  habits  of  some  no  man 
can  doubt;  that  his  continued  and  persistent  pursuit  from 


342  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  dawn  of  his  race  until  the  present  time  is  as  capable  of 
modifying  structure  and  colour  *  as  the  continued  and  per- 
sistent pursuit  by  lions  and  other  carnivores,  is  at  least  a 
debatable  possibility.  Personally,  I  do  not  see,  if  a  beast 
is  to  be  concealed  at  all,  why  it  is  or  has  been  of  more  im- 
portance to  him  to  be  concealed  from  the  erect  or  the  prone 
destroyer. 

But  let  that  pass.  Let  us  consider  the  case  entirely,  as 
Mr.  Thayer  asks  us,  from  the  lion's  point  of  view.  Also, 
for  the  sake  of  the  argument,  let  us  for  the  moment  pass  over 
the  point  as  to  whether  or  not  an  animal  against  the  skyline 
is  any  better  concealed  than  an  animal  against  a  solid  back- 
ground. From  the  lion 's  point  of  view  is  an  animal  in  the 
majority  of  cases  seen  against  the  sky?  On  the  open  plains, 
yes.  In  cover  or  in  a  country  the  least  bit  broken,  de- 
cidedly not.  This  is  a  matter  of  repeated  experiments  in  the 
field,  on  living  game,  and  is  a  definite  conclusion. 

This  is  of  course  at  a  distance  of  from  thirty  yards  out 
to  any  limit;  but  if  I  understand  Mr.  Thayer's  diagram 
aright,  he  claims  the  action  of  this  principle  for  all  distances. 
Of  extremely  close  range,  say  within  the  three  or  four  yards 
of  a  lion's  spring,  I  am  unable  to  advance  evidence  from 
the  field.  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  offer  my  private  opinions 
unless  apparently  supported  by  actual  observation. 

As  to  the  point  we  waived  a  moment  ago,  i.  e.,  whether  or 
not  an  animal  is  on  the  average  more  or  less  visible  against 
the  sky  than  against  the  earthy  my  opinion  is  against  Mr. 
Thayer.     I  came  to  this  opinion  only  after  repeated  obser- 


*  That  the  habits  and  environment  of  a  large  beast  do  modify  his  struc- 
ture or  colour  is  denied  by  men  of  very  good  judgment. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  343 

vation,  for  the  theory  is  fascinating  and  intrigued  my  in- 
terest. I  have  tried  it  out  on  all  colours,  all  sizes  of  beasts, 
in  all  lights  from  early  twilight  to  night  so  dark  the  human 
eye  could  not  even  make  out  the  silhouette,  and  from  every 
point  of  view.  It  must  be  repeated,  that  to  the  cat  we 
must  allow  a  greater  illumination  than  to  the  man.  The 
conclusion  could  not  possibly  be  dodged.  No  matter  what 
the  colour  or  pattern  of  the  animal,  it  shows  up  nine  times  in 
ten  more  plainly  against  the  sky  than  against  the  earth.  In 
this  case  I  cannot  even  see  the  tendency  toward  helping  the 
animal  escape  observation. 

Parenthetically,  this  seems  a  good  place  to  protest  against 
the  finality  of  the  kind  of  argument  that  consists  of  plac- 
ing stuffed  animals,  painted  objects,  or  drawings  before  an 
observer  and  asking  him  to  note  the  effect  one  way  or 
another.  Early  in  my  own  investigations  I  abandoned  that 
method  of  observation.  It  is  useless  to  place  an  oryx  head 
in  a  treetop,  as  did  Mr.  Thayer,  or  a  white  towel  in  a 
dark  night,  as  he  challenged  Mr.  Roosevelt  to  do,  and  call 
upon  the  bystander  to  observe  the  invisibility  of  one  or  the 
visibility  of  the  other.  And  for  this  reason:  I  will  guaran- 
tee to  place  the  same  oryx  head  in  the  same  treetop,  without 
trickery,  so  it  will  stand  out  like  a  crow  on  a  snowbank; 
and  the  same  night  and  in  the  same  field  I  will  shift  the 
towel  to  the  vanishing  point.  The  oryx  head  and  what- 
ever that  towel  represented  would  in  nature  be  quite  as 
likely  to  be  in  one  place  as  another.  The  only  test  is  the 
actual  field  test.  I  have  seen  some  thousands  of  oryx  and 
I  do  not  suppose  that  of  that  number  two  dozen  were  in  the 
slightest  degree  concealed  from  me  by  the  face  markings 


344  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

Mr.  Thayer,  paradoxically,  was  wrong  though  he  was  right. 
His  own  oryx  was  concealed;  but  that  was  not  a  legitimate 
argument  simply  because  wild  oryxes  do  not  happen  to  do 
what  stuffed  oryxes  did.  Photographs  are  equally  ex  parte. 
They  have  rehef,  no  colour,  and  the  relative  tones  are 
often  false.  They  are  not  evidence;  for  they  do  not  re- 
produce. 

And  here  seems  a  good  place  for  the  insertion  of  another 
parenthesis  of  protest  against  another  mistaken  line  of 
argument.     This  merely  to  clear  the  decks. 

The  proponents  of  "concealing  coloration"  may  bring 
against  me  an  argument  they  have  already  used  against 
others.  They  may  say:  "Yes,  you  may  have  seen  some 
thousands  of  oryx;  but  what  of  those  you  did  not  see?  They 
remained  concealed,  and  therefore  illustrate  our  point!" 
But  by  a  very  simple  method  I  tested  this.  As  I  moved 
forward,  I  was  constantly  on  the  lookout  to  determine  how 
many  beasts  in  the  direct  line  of  march  escaped  my  visual 
attention.  If  an  animal  I  had  not  previously  seen  jumped 
and  ran  from  in  front  of  us,  I  naturally  concluded  it 
had  remained  concealed.  Then  I  tried  to  determine  why 
it  had  remained  concealed.  And  let  no  one  imagine  that 
African  animals  to  any  great  extent  "squat"  while  a  safari 
of  forty  noisy  natives  howls  by!  We  saw  eventually  every- 
thing in  our  path.  I  mention  this  merely  to  show  that  our 
methods  foresaw  such  obvious  objections. 

4.  The  theory  of  broken  coloration.  Mr.  Thayer  ad- 
vances the  theory  that  a  broken  coloration  is  often  more 
concealing  than  a  uniform  coloration.  The  theory  is  not 
original  with  himself,  but  the  extent  of  its  development  is. 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  345 

There  is  so  much  of  value  in  it  that  it  is  a  pity  his  natural 
enthusiasm  for  so  pretty  a  h>^othesis  should  have  carried 
him  beyond  all  reason.  Thus  he  seriously  maintains  that 
the  wavy  marks  on  the  ends  of  a  duck's  breast  and  side 
feathers  are  imitations  of  ripple  marks  on  the  water  wherein 
the  duck  swims;  and  that  for  that  reason  they  tend  to  con- 
ceal the  duck  from  its  "natural  enemies."  A  moment's 
reflection,  without  the  necessity  of  actual  experiment,  shows 
that  such  fine  markings  are  invisible  at  a  very  short  dis- 
tance, and  that  within  the  distance  of  their  visibility  the 
duck  is  very  plainly  in  sight  to  anything  with  any  eyes  at 
all.*  He  instances  the  scarlet  tanager,  and  can,  of  course, 
easily  prove  that  it  is  often  invisible  in  thick  woods.  He 
attempts  to  tell  us  this  is  because  of  the  black  and  red 
markings  of  that  brilliant  bird,  forgetting  that  when  the 
scarlet  tanager  is  invisible  any  other  bird  whatsoever  would 
be  equally  invisible.  Or  that  the  thin  white  transverse 
stripes  of  the  eland  tend  to  break  up  that  animal's  bulk, 
whereas,  of  course,  as  every  one  who  has  ever  seen  an  eland 
knows,  the  stripes  are  quite  invisible  beyond  forty  yards. 
And  any  one  who  has  been  within  forty  yards  of  an  eland 
and  not  seen  it  is  either  in  completely  concealing  cover  or 
should  depart  for  the  nearest  oculist.  Mr.  Thayer's 
interest  in  working  out  possible  apphcationsf  of  this  fasci- 
nating idea  has  led  him  into  a  mental  point  of  view  very 
like  that  of  an  enthusiastic  lawyer  toward  a  technical  case. 
I'^ach  quite  honestly  rather  loses  sight  of  the  verities. 

*A  duck  in  the  water  is  a  mass,  always!  Yes;  I  have  looked  at  them 
from  above! 

t  For  a  great  number  of  instances,  sec  his  book.  Most  of  them  beg  the 
question  and  imply  such  close  proximity  to  the  animal  before  the  markings 
can  be  seen  at  all  that  the  mass  of  the  beast  could  not  possibly  be  overlooked. 


346  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

So  numerous  are  the  instances  where  Mr.  Thayer  has 
over-refined  his  argument  after  the  manner  of  the  examples 
given  above,  that  he  has  ended  by  goading  his  opponents  to 
the  opposite  extreme.  They  are,  it  seems  to  me,  not  nearly 
enough  incHned  to  admit  whatever  of  value  there  is  in  the 
theory. 

Every  hunter  in  a  fairly  open  country  knows  that  a 
varied  costume  is  better  than  a  uniform  costume.  Thus 
the  sheep  hunter  who  wears  a  gray  cap,  a  khaki-coloured 
shirt,  and  breeches  of  "pepper  and  salt''  stands  a  better 
chance  of  remaining  unnoticed  than  he  who  dresses  entirely 
in  even  the  celebrated  *'olive  drab."  A  wildebeeste,  in  or 
out  of  cover,  is  more  visible  than  a  zebra.  The  mottled 
horned  toad  is  less  easily  seen  than  the  lizard.  All  this 
quite  irrespective  of  movement.  Nobody  will  seriously 
deny  this.  Furthermore,  as  a  general  thing,  in  thin  cover 
the  patterned  animal  will  remain  unnoticed  longer  than  the 
animal  in  monochrome.  But  in  thick  cover,  except  under 
exceptional  circumstances,  a  good  neutral  monochrome  or  a 
broken  pattern  seem  to  be  on  equal  footing.  On  the  open 
plain  no  animal  is  concealed,  unless  there  be  high  grass; 
when,  naturally,  the  environment  must  be  considered  as 
cover. 

Let  us  elaborate.  In  the  new  hunting  field  we  have  been 
describing,  the  game  had  not  been  disturbed  by  man,  either 
savage  or  civihzed.  This  was  a  most  unusual  condition ;  for 
even  where  the  white  hunter  has  not  penetrated  usually  the 
black  hunter  has  been  active  for  untold  generations.  There- 
fore here  the  game  may  fairly  be  considered  to  frequent 
the  type  of  country  it  likes  best,  its  ideas  unmodified  by 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  34> 

humankind.  In  this  country  at  the  time  of  our  visit  we 
found  the  zebra  inhabiting  the  thin  bush.  There  were  plenty 
of  open  plains,  and  occasionally  bands  of  zebra  wandered  out 
on  them,  as  do  impalla;  but  by  choice,  and  as  a  matter  of 
course,  they  held  to  the  thin  thorn  scrub,  and  the  Ught 
growths  of  small  thorn  trees.  Elsewhere  the  zebra  is  a 
plains-dwelling  animal ;  and  all  arguments  as  to  his  gaudily 
striped  person  have  been  based  on  that  fact.  But  else- 
where he  has  always  been  in  contact  with  humankind.  It 
is  at  least  a  fair  assumption,  in  view  of  our  observations, 
that  he  may  have  been  driven  out  to  the  plains,*  although 
I  am  not  yet  convinced  that  such  is  the  case.  At  any 
rate,  in  the  thin  cover  described  he  is  the  most  invisible  of 
animals.  The  stripes  of  white  and  black  so  confuse  him 
with  the  cover  that  he  is  absolutely  unseen  at  the  most 
absurd  ranges.  Time  after  time  not  only  did  Cuninghame 
and  myself  fail  to  make  them  out  even  as  close  as  forty  and 
fifty  yards,  but  Kongoni  confessed  himself  baffled.  And  of 
the  many  keen-eyed  savages  with  whom  I  have  had  to  do, 
Kongoni  can  see  farthest  and  best.  A  switch  of  the  tail,  or 
the  actual  movement  of  the  head  was  time  and  again  our 
first  warning.  This  same  cover  was  open  enough  so  that 
we  could  see  topi  or  wildebeeste  up  to  2co  yards. 

The  other  usual  larger  inhabitants  of  this  tliin  cover 
were  topi,  wildebeeste,  eland,  hartebeeste,  and  impalla.  The 
smaller  antelope  I  do  not  count,  as  they  generally  lurked 
in  grass  or  bush.     Of  these  the  wildebeestef  is  to  all  intents 

*  The  native  most  often  hunts  by  driving  his  game. 

tThe  wildebeeste  is  countershadcd.  But  mere  countershading  without 
the  help  of  a  neutral  colour  is  ineffective.  Countershading  does,  how- 
ever, help  the  neutral  colour. 


348  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

and  purposes  a  black  bulk,  and  he  is  easily  the  most  con- 
spicuous of  the  lot.  I  don't  think  I  ever  failed  to  see  a 
wildebeeste  not  entirely  concealed  by  cover,  unless  I  hap- 
pened tobe  careless.  But  wildebeeste  belong  on  plains,  prefer 
plains,  and  are  only  lured  into  the  bush  occasionally  by  feed 
or  a  wandering  spirit.  Eland  were  to  me  the  next  most 
conspicuous,  less  from  their  coloration  than  from  their  size. 
They  have  occasionally  proved  rather  hard  to  see,  when 
they  stood  motionless  in  shadow;  just  as  is  any  neutral- 
coloured  animal  in  the  same  circumstances,  but  their  trans- 
verse stripes  never  had  anything  to  do  with  it.  Topi,  on 
the  whole,  are  the  next  easiest  to  make  out,  but  in  certain 
Hghts  they  are  as  in\dsible  as  zebra.  We  have  all  of  us 
missed  seeing  them  time  and  again,  at  close  range,  toward 
evening.  An  analysis  of  the  situation  disclosed  these  facts 
concerning  a  normally  conspicuous  beast:  the  topi  is  a  dark 
animal,  without  countershading,  with  nearly  black  legs  to 
the  knee,  with  buff  "stockings,"  and  dark  pearl  gray  patches 
on  the  rump  and  shoulders.  The  variations  in  tone,  with 
the  exception  of  the  buff  stockings  and  buff  face  markings, 
are  very  slight.  Yet  they  were  sufficient,  at  the  proper 
time  of  day,  to  break  the  monochrome  and  blend  the  animal 
into  the  darker  lights  and  shadows  of  its  background.  The 
topi,  in  this  new  country,  hved  on  both  the  plains  and  in 
cover,  with  a  preference  for  the  latter.  In  British  East 
Africa  he  is  more  distinctly  a  plains  beast,  where — like  the 
zebra — he  is  visible  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see.  Hartebeeste 
and  impaUa  are  countershaded  beasts,  and  hardly  come 
into  this  discussion.  In  many  circumstances  their  counter- 
shading  helps  them  to  be  overlooked  in  favour  of  more  con- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  349 

spicuous  beasts,  but  it  never  conceals  them  in  circumstances 
where  any  animal  would  not  be  concealed.  The  zebra  and 
topi,  however,  are  very  often  actually  "concealed"  when 
in  reality  standing  in  "plain  sight." 

I  offer  these  as  new  and  interesting  facts,  well  estabhshed 
by  repeated  observation.  \\Tiether  the  zebra's  stripes  are 
developed  by  the  necessity  of  concealment  in  thin  brush  or 
not  I  leave  to  deeper  philosophers  than  myself. 

In  thick  cover,  however,  any  motionless  animal  is  pretty 
well  concealed,  whatever  his  scheme  of  colour,  I  have  been 
within  a  few  yards  of  elephants,  rhinoceros,  and  buffalo — all 
large  monochromatic  beasts  without  a  hint  of  countershading 
— and  had  difficulty  in  making  them  out.  I  honestly  do  not 
think  they  would  have  been  more  invisible  had  they  been 
spotted  or  striped.  On  the  other  hand,  I  have  without 
difficulty  made  out  leopards,  giraffes,  and  spotted  hyenas 
in  the  thickest  sun-and-shade  surroundings.  It  is  my  de- 
liberate conclusion,  that,  in  thick  cover,  the  variety  of  light 
and  shade,  of  mass  and  detail,  is  normally  so  great  that  it 
has  room  for  any  mass  or  any  combination  of  dark  and 
light.  In  other  words,  almost  any  beast  not  advertisingly 
blazened  is  none  too  easy  to  make  out  visually. 

On  open  plains  concealing  coloration  drops  almost  to 
zero  in  its  importance  relative  to  other  reasons  for  color- 
ation. In  certain  slants  of  light  and  mirage  from  noon 
heat  a  zebra  or  a  herd  of  zebra,  some  of  the  gazelles,  harte- 
beestes,  or  topi  will  shimmer  at  extreme  distances  into  white 
alkali-looking  streaks  or  queer,  dancing  patches;  while 
wildebeeste  will  hold  their  solid  character.  This  difference 
of  effect  is  undoubtedly  due  to  difference  of  coloration. 


3SO  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

But  never  would  any  experienced  man — or  beast — mistake 
the  white  shimmer  for  anything  but  zebra,  or  the  queer 
patches  of  colour  for  anything  but  game.  And  when  he 
had  approached  to  within  a  half  mile  or  so  he  could  plainly 
see  the  individual  animals. 

We  have  already  discussed  night  appearances — which 
may  be  day  appearances  to  the  Hon.  And  the  lion  hunts 
by  scent  as  well  as  by  sight. 

As  a  fact,  by  the  way,  which  may  be  apphed  as  the 
reader  will:  Mr.  Thayer  says  the  longitudinal  body  stripes 
on  such  beasts  as  the  Thompson's,  Grant's  and  Roberts' 
gazelle  bring  these  animals  under  the  working  of  this  theory, 
break  up  the  monochrome,  and  tend  to  make  them  more 
visible.  This  is  not  so.  The  Roberts'  gazelle  just  east  of 
Olgoss  are  of  mixed  characteristics.  In  some  the  body 
stripe  has  so  faded  as  to  be  almost  indistinguishable.  In 
every  Hght  the  latter  type  were  less  visible  than  the  former. 

This  leaves  the  situation  rather  anomalous.  If  a  beast  is 
of  a  broken  pattern  he  is  less  visible  in  certain  circumstances 
than  a  monochromatic  beast;  if  an  animal  is  coloured  in 
countershaded  monochrome  he  is,  in  certain  other  circum- 
stances, less  visible  than  a  striped  or  spotted  or  variegated 
beast. 

The  apparent  contradiction  can  be  lessened,  however,  by 
the  reflection  again,  that  no  beast,  of  whatever  colour,  is  al- 
ways invisible;  that  "concealing  coloration"  seems,  in  the 
case  of  larger  game  animals,  not  so  much  to  conceal  aU  mem- 
bers of  a  species  absolutely,  as  to  tend  to  render  the  individ- 
uals likely  to  be  overlooked  in  favour  of  the  more  conspicuous. 
It  is  possible  that  both  the  variegated  and  the  monochro- 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  351 

ma  tic  are  ''concealingly"  coloured,  in  that  sense  of  the  term 
— nature  may  use  a  double  instead  of  a  single  barrel — 
widely  diverse  optical  laws  may  have  the  same  affect — and 
their  differences  in  marking  may  have  quite  a  different  pur- 
pose. Concealing  coloration — again,  I  must  repeat,  in  the 
case  of  larger  game  animals — may  prove  to  be  a  sort  of  by- 
product of  other  purposes,  a  supplemental  use  thrown  in  by 
an  economical  nature  for  good  measure,  an  added  principle 
on  the  side  of  safety  that  may  work  at  times  and  may  fail 
to  work  at  others.  Just  as  nature  creates  a  thousand  indi- 
viduals in  order  that  one  may  sur\dve,  so  she  may  invent  a 
dozen  expedients  of  safety  in  order  that  one  may  work. 
The  occasions  wherein  coloration  fails  to  work — which  may 
be  the  majority  of  cases — does  not  necessarily  stultify  the 
scheme  of  decoration — as  they  would  were  concealment  the 
sole  or  principal  reason  for  it.  And  when  it  does  work,  why 
there  is  so  much  gained. 

5.  The  theory  of  imitative  coloration.  This  means 
simply  that  the  animal  is  so  coloured  as  to  imitate  its 
background.  My  remarks  as  to  the  preceding  hypothesis 
apply  almost  verbatim  to  this.  Excellent  examples  are  a 
nighthawk  on  the  ground,  treefrogs  against  bark,  wood- 
cock on  the  nest,  etc.  So  pretty  is  this  theory  that  it,  too, 
lends  itself  to  over-refinement.  If  a  man  seriously  starts 
to  drawing  analogies  in  the  mental  world,  he  speedily  and 
logically  arrives  at  the  absurdly  fanciful;  if  a  man  sets  out  to 
trace  resemblances  in  the  physical  world,  he  arrives  with 
equal  speed  at  the  fantastic.  Thus  because  a  flock  of 
flamingoes  a- wing  at  a  distance  of  several  miles  looks  to  the 
poetic   eye   like  a  pink  cloud  of  morning — as  it  does — 


352  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

your  enthusiast  thinks  himself  able  to  prove  that  this  re- 
semblance is  intended  to  conceal  those  flamingoes  from 
observation !  Such  reasoning  quite  loses  sight  of  the  hunt- 
ing attitude  of  mind.  It  presupposes  on  the  part  of 
the  flamingoes'  natural  enemies  an  almost  unbelievable 
stupidity  and  indolence ;  so  that  the  sight  of  a  pink  cloud  in 
one  portion  of  the  heavens  would  mean  instant  departure 
for  somewhere  else.  An  absolutely  innocent  and  unso- 
phisticated bird  or  beast  of  prey  on  the  search  for  fla- 
mingoes might  conceivably  be  fooled  by  one  or  two  pink 
clouds.  But  that  could  not  continue  for  long.  Sooner  or 
later  he  would  discover  that  pink  clouds  may  mean  fla- 
mingoes, and  unless  I  much  mistake  the  hunter  psychology? 
he  would  thenceforth  cruise  in  the  direction  of  likely  look- 
ing pink  clouds.  That  is,  unless  he  had  a  flamingo  flock  of 
his  own  already.  For  again,  your  true  flamingo  eater — 
whatever  that  is — would  not  be  setting  forth  each  day  re- 
gardless and  at  random.  He  would  have  his  permanent 
residence  not  far  from  a  private  flamingo-preserve  of  his 
own.  The  resemblance  of  flamingoes  to  clouds  would  not 
interest  him  in  the  least :  he  would  probably  never  get  that 
far  away  from  them. 

It  is  useless  to  multiply  examples.  The  gaudy  plumage 
of  the  wood  duck  much  resembles  at  times  certain  re- 
flections of  light  and  branch,  or  certain  aspects  of  the  same 
against  the  sky.  When  caught  just  at  that  moment  the 
wood  duck  is  only  slightly  visible.  A  coloured  drawing  of 
the  episode  is  most  interesting.  But  it  seems  to  me  carry- 
ing it  a  bit  far  to  claim  that  the  wood  duck's  plumage  imi- 
tates sky  and  branch.     The  wood  duck  is  not  a  common 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  353 

bird  at  present,  but  my  boyhood  saw  many  of  them;  and 
for  once  the  bird  was  obHterated  by  his  background,  I 
should  say  he  was  revealed  at  least  fifty  times.  In  other 
words  the  imitation,  while  real,  is  poetic.  The  bluejay 
against  blue  snow  shadows  is  another  case  in  point.  The 
resemblance  and  the  blending  are  there,  but  one  has  only 
to  reflect  that,  even  in  winter,  for  once  the  jay  is  to  be  looked 
for  against  snow,  a  hundred  times  he  is  silhouetted  in  trees 
against  the  sky.  That  leaves  out  of  account  the  fact  that 
bluejays  live  right  on  through  the  summer.  Why,  in  the 
name  of  common  sense,  if  a  bluejay  or  a  wood  duck  were  to 
be  " concealingly  coloured,"  should  the  rare  fortuitous 
background  be  chosen  for  imitation  rather  than  the  daily 
enviroimient?  The  battleground  for  opinion  is  here  enor- 
mous. I  have  no  intention  of  entering  it,  and  cite  the  wood 
duck  and  the  bluejay  merely  as  examples. 

Carried  into  the  world  of  the  larger  animals  the  poetic 
resemblances,  while  not  less  numerous,  become  more  fanci- 
ful. One  of  the  most  plausible  examples  is  the  mottling  of 
the  leopard  to  imitate  sun  spots  in  the  forest.  I  am  far 
from  sa>'ing  that  this  effect  does  not  help  in  concealment. 
But  from  what  httle  I  have  seen  of  the  leopard  (a)  he  is 
more  likely  to  be  found  in  dense  shade  than  in  spotted 
shadow;  (b)  he  hunts  at  night  when  there  is  remarkably 
little  sunhght;  (c)  he  has  no  "natural  enemies"  from  which 
he  could  wish  to  conceal  himself.*  If  this  is  true  of  so 
strikingly  poetic  a  resemblance  as  "spots"  for  light  and 
shadow,  how  much  more  true  is  it  of  more  fanciful  re- 
semblances.    The  larger  animals  move  about  so  constantly, 

*  Prehistoric  man  had  little  use  for  a  leopard  outside  a  trap! 


354  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

they  occupy  such  a  diversity  of  country,  and  appear  in 
succession  against  such  a  variety  of  backgrounds  that  it  is 
extremely  unlikely  that  the  colour  pattern  of  any  one  of 
them  can  be  considered  as  imitating  any  one  environment. 
Zebra  stripes  do  resemble  reeds;  they  do  not  in  the  least 
resemble  open  sky,  distant  hills,  high  grass,  thorn  scrub, 
or  tree  trunks.  I  have  seen  thousands  upon  thousands  of 
zebra  against  the  latter  backgrounds.  /  have  never  seen  one, 
either  at  drinking  holes  or  elsewhere,  among  reeds. 

As  a  matter  of  personal  belief  I  do  not  think  that  imi- 
tative patterns  exist  in  the  larger  animals.  I  grant  you 
may  trace  very  interesting  analogies  between  some  of  these 
patterns  and  something  in  nature.  You  can  do  that  in 
thunder  clouds.  The  nearest  approach  to  anything  of  the 
sort  is  in  the  case  of  dull  ripe-grass-coloured  beasts.  They 
are  of  a  neutral  tint  because  most  of  nature  is  in  a  neutral 
tone.     To  that  extent  they  are  conceaHngly  coloured. 

That  covers  the  five  points  of  concealing  coloration 
theory  as  we  studied  it  in  the  field.  Let  us  now  venture 
for  a  moment  into  the  realm  of  pure  speculation.  There 
every  man's  right  of  denial  or  doubt  is  the  equal  of  every 
other  man's.  If  you  do  not  like  my  ideas  it  is  your  privi- 
lege to  reject  them;  and  I  assure  you  I  shall  accept  their 
rejection  good-naturedly.  Only  it  seems  to  me  only  fair 
that  you  should  not  use  that  privilege  unless  you  can  sub- 
stitute in  their  place  something  you  consider  better. 

Nature  loves  at  once  economy  and  variety.  She  loves 
economy;  and  therefore  creates  an  organ,  a  creature,  or  a 
process  to  fulfill  some  major  function  in  the  life  of  the 
world,  and  immediately  sets  to  work  her  ingenuity  to  adapt 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  355 

it  also  to  as  many  minor  and  incidental  functions  as  possible. 
She  loves  variety:  and  therefore  brings  into  being  a  dozen 
conifers  instead  of  one  "standardized"  pine;  hundred 
species  where  half  a  dozen  would  do;  a  thousand  wild- 
flowers  instead  of  a  score  that  would  adequately  enough  fit 
the  changes  of  condition. 

This  being  so,  we  can  conceive  that  one  of  the  important 
reasons  why  birds,  beasts,  insects,  and  flowers  are  striped, 
variegated,  spotted,  mottled,  and  otherwise  decorated  is 
that  thus  they  respond  to  Nature's  demand  for  variety. 
If  coloration  were  intended  solely,  or  even  primarily,  for 
purposes  of  concealment,  it  would  be  only  sensible  on 
Nature's  part  to  fit  her  creatures  with  the  very  few  com- 
binations that  are  best  adapted  to  the  purpose  in  different 
circumstances.  To  a  large  extent  I,  personally,  am  willing 
to  agree  with  Emerson  that  beauty  may  be  its  own  excuse 
for  being.  To  those  who  insist  on  a  purely  utilitarian 
reason  for  everything,  I  would  call  attention  to  the  zebra. 
For  the  sake  of  argument  only,  let  us  assume  that  his  stripes 
are  for  the  purpose  of  concealing  him — or  attracting  atten- 
tion of  his  own  kind,  it  does  not  matter  which.  If  that 
were  the  only  reason,  a  regular  and  uniform  pattern  of 
stripes  would  fulfill  every  requisite.  Then  why,  as  is  the 
case,  does  every  zebra  differ  from  every  other  zebra  in  the 
pattern  of  his  hide?  More:  why,  even,  is  the  pattern  on 
the  right  side  of  any  individual  zebra  different  from  the 
pattern  on  his  left  side?  The  permutations  and  combina- 
tions are  as  limitless  as  thumb  points.  When  the  strict 
utilitarians  have  given  good  reasons  for  this  one  astonishing 
fact,  then  we  are  ready  to  go  on.     In  the  meantime  it  seems 


556  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

to  me  probable  that,  as  Nature  likes  zebras  all  different, 
she  may  like  variety  in  other  ways. 

We  may  then  name  as  the  reasons  for  varied  colouring, 
(i)  Nature's  love  for  variety;  (2)  concealing  coloration; 
(3)  facilitating  recognition  between  members  of  the  same 
species;  (4)  sex  attraction;  (5)  revealing  for  the  purpose  of 
warning.  These  are  by  no  means  named  in  the  order  of 
their  relative  importance. 

At  first  glance  there  seems  to  be  a  contradiction  between 
some  of  these  functions.  For  example,  number  three,  four, 
and  five  are  advertising,  reveaUng;  while  number  two  is 
quite  the  reverse.  This  has  been  recognized  by  both  sides 
of  the  controversy.  ''How  can  a  thing  be  both  concealing 
and  advertising?"  ask  the  opponents  triumphantly.  And 
the  proponents,  instead  of  accepting  the  indubitable  fact 
and  trying  to  find  it  reasonable,  make  the  mistake  of  bol- 
stering their  argument  by  super-refinements. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  there  is  only  an  apparent  contradic- 
tion. Those  who  claim  that  a  zebra,  or  a  topi,  or  our 
common  deer  or  any  other  of  the  larger  animals  are  when  in 
motion  quite  the  most  conspicuous  objects  in  the  land- 
scape, are  right.  My  notion  is  that  they  are  intended  to  be 
conspicuous.  I  have  often  amused  myself  when  in  an 
abundance  of  scattered  game,  inhabitating  a  broken  bush- 
covered  country,  by  reveahng  myself  suddenly  to  some 
little  group  of  animals.  Off  they  would  go,  helter-skelter, 
as  fast  as  they  could  run.  Those  near  at  hand  would  follow 
their  example;  those  farther  away  would  catch  the  flash  of 
moving  bodies — the  revealing  stripes  of  the  zebras,  the 
flicker  of  the  gazelles,  the  shifting  advertising  lines  of  a 


THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY  357 

number  of  species — would  raise  their  heads,  stare  for  a 
moment,  and  join  the  stampede.  None  but  the  first  httle 
group  had  seen  me,  but  all  had  caught  the  warning  of  danger 
from  the  flash  of  stripe  and  colour,  and  all  were  heeding  it. 
On  one  occasion,  six  minutes  by  the  watch  after  the  first 
beasts  had  departed,  game  was  still  plodding  by  across  our 
front.  They  were  plodding  very  slowly  and  mechani- 
cally and  in  a  bored  fashion,  because  by  now  the  warning 
had  been  much  diluted,  but  they  were  doing  their  duty. 
Now  of  all  these  beasts  nine  tenths  were  more  or  less  un- 
noticeable  as  long  as  they  stood  still.  Their  coloration,  or 
the  light  or  the  cover,  or  all  three  tended  to  obhterate  most 
of  them  sufficiently  to  cause  them  to  be  overlooked  by  a 
cursory  glance.  But  the  moment  any  of  them  moved, 
they  became  instantly  and  plainly  visible.  In  other  words, 
the  same  pattern  that  fulfilled  one  function  one  moment  in 
certain  circumstances  fulfilled  another  function  the  next 
moment  in  changed  circumstances.  To  go  back  to  our 
zebra,  because  he  is  easy  to  discuss,  no  creature  was  harder 
to  make  out  in  thin  cover  as  long  as  he  held  still;  no  animal 
was  easier  to  see  the  instant  he  moved.  As  long  as  he  held 
still  he  was  presumably  in  no  danger  of  which  he  was  aware, 
and  his  pattern  helped  him  to  remain  unobserved;  the  in- 
stant he  became  aware  of  danger  and  ran,  that  instant  by 
his  very  conspicuousness  he  served  as  an  easily  visible  warn- 
ing to  all  other  beasts  that  something  was  wrong. 

It  is  useless  to  discuss  the  point  played  by  coloration  in 
recognition  and  sex  attraction.  The  uniform  of  a  par- 
ticular species  is  as  definite  as  the  uniform  of  a  regiment, 
and  perhaps  fulfills  much  the  same  function.     Of  course 


358  THE  REDISCOVERED  COUNTRY 

the  influence  of  plumage  and  pelage  on  sex  attraction  is  well 
known.  The  point  to  remember  is  that  all  these  functions 
— of  variety,  sex  attraction,  concealment,  warning,  recog- 
nition— are  definite  functions;  that  one  in  no  sense  ex- 
cludes another;  that  any  one  may  at  any  time  act  the  lead- 
ing part  and  at  another  be  relegated  to  the  subordinate 
part.  Such  being  the  case,  it  is  ill-advised  to  lay  so  much 
stress  on  any  one  function  that  all  others  are  warped  and 
bent  to  fit  it.  Whether  Nature  so  patterned  her  creatures 
that  they  might  be  distinguished  one  from  the  other,  and 
then  incidentally  arranged  that  those  patterns  should  help 
conceal  or  reveal  at  need:  or  whether  she  intended  conceal- 
ment as  the  major  requisite,  and  handily  fitted  in  the  other 
functions;  or  whether,  quite  simply,  she  was  working  out  the 
mysterious  world-need  for  beauty  and  infinite  variety,  it  is 
each  man 's  privilege  to  decide  for  himself.  But  I  think  it 
should  be  remembered  that  most  often  she  works  by  ten- 
dency rather  than  by  hard  fact. 


THE  COUNTRY  LIFE  PRESS 
GARDEN  CITY.  N.Y. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 

^'0V  1 1 1952 

\hm  ^957 

REC'D  LD-URU 

m    408  9   7 

1 

BBmcftuRi 

il    SEP  25 

1972 

OCT  141972 

m.    WAR    4 

,»,  -1^1 

OCT 

L9^9?8 

OlSCH/ 

,RGE-URi. 

JUN 

Form  L9-25m-9,'47(A5618) 

144 

,iARY 
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ed  below. 


fXimESITY  OF  CAI 


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